Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit out at the Congress for continuing with the “one family” dynastic rule in the party. At an election rally at Nehru Maidan here, Mr. Modi dug up the political history of the Congress in Karnataka and said the party ditched its own leaders who questioned the family rule.
He said the former Chief Minister late D. Devaraj Urs had opposed the family rule within the party. Hence the party ensured that he did not win in the subsequent election. Had Urs not been there, the former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi would not have won the byelection to the Lok Sabha from Chikkamagaluru. But she was not courteous for her election from the State as she did not do anything for the development of Karnataka, he alleged.
Mr. Modi said the Congress dislodged the Veerendra Patil government by imposing the President’s rule. Even the former Chief Minister late S. Nijalingappa was sidelined. Both of them were targeted for questioning the family rule, Mr. Modi said. Reaching out to Muslim women in the communally sensitive coastal belt, Mr. Modi raised the triple talaq Bill issue.
He said it was the Congress that had stalled the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill in the Rajya Sabha as it had the numbers in the House. The Prime Minister said the Congress was now left with no other “agenda” but to oppose his (Mr. Modi’s) every action and move within and outside the country.