‘My remote control is with someone else but what about Nadda?’: Cong chief Kharge on PM Modi's jibe

Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "remote control" jibe at him and the Congress, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday asked as to where was BJP chief J P Nadda's remote control.

Accusing the Modi-led BJP government of "troubling" party leader Rahul Gandhi for "speaking the truth", the Congress President said he doesn't fear such things and was ready for everything. "Modi came to Belagavi and said - Kharge has become President (Congress), but remote control is with someone else. Okay, my remote control is with someone else, but where is Nadda's (BJP national President J P Nadda) remote control?" Kharge asked.

Addressing the 'Yuva Kranti Samavesha', a youth convention, organised by the party's state unit here, he said: "Nadda speaks under control of whose remote? There are lots of weak spots about you (BJP), for us (Congress) to speak about. You lack courage..."

Claiming that Kharge, who hails from the state, was insulted and disrespected by the Congress in favour of a "family", despite his seniority and age, PM Modi while addressing a public meet here on February 27 had said, "This shows Kharge is Congress President just for the sake of it, and looking at the way he is treated, everyone can see and understand, as to whose hands the remote control is in."

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, state unit chief D K Shivakumar, Legislature Party leader and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah among several leaders were part of the mega rally organised at CPED ground here.

Noting that Rahul Gandhi questioned the government in the Lok Sabha on the Adani-Hindenburg issue, the Congress chief alleged that (parts of) his speech was removed from records in Parliament. "Similarly, mine (Kharge's) was removed from records in Rajya Sabha."

"This is democracy... Is it wrong to say that democracy was not functioning properly in this country? To say there is still casteism in this country? You (BJP government) don't allow us to speak the truth, while you keep lying," he asserted.

"Your (BJP government's) ED, CBI or CVC cannot overpower us, we don't fear them. Rahul Gandhi has never feared and will never fear. He speaks the truth, and such a person is being troubled. Let them do it, will they jail him? We are ready for everything," he added.

Pointing out that during the course of the nationwide Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, Gandhi met farmers, youth, women, and every strata of the society, Kharge said: “Forty-six days after the speech made by Rahul Gandhi in Jammu and Kashmir about the problems shared by the people, Delhi Police came to his door seeking for proof regarding his statement on alleged rape or sexual harassment on a women, quoting her.”

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Despite the Karnataka contractors' association giving proof for their 40 per cent commission charge in the state, no action is being taken, Kharge claimed. "Modi and Shah (Amit Shah) should take action here and make an inquiry as the proof is already given here, then come to Rahul Gandhi."

This was Kharge's first visit to Belagavi after taking over as the Congress President.

He pointed out that Belagavi was a "sacred land" for Congress, as Mahatma Gandhi was elected as the party's President in the district in 1924, and Jawaharlal Nehru was appointed as the General Secretary.

Kharge, seeking the blessings of the people of the state for the upcoming assembly polls, asked the party leaders and workers to fight the polls with unity.

He also accused the BJP government in Karnataka of rampant corruption, and praised the KPCC's poll 'guarantees' including the unemployment allowance for the youth, which was announced today as the fourth 'guarantee', in the event of the party coming to power.

The party has already announced three poll 'guarantees' — 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), ₹2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), and 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya).