Mangalore: Poojary continues anti-Modi mantra, says he has no moral right to contest

Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SHS)

Mangalore, Mar 27: Faced with tough questions from media persons on Congress and its Lok Sabha candidate Janardhan Poojary’s stand on BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi who was given a clean chit by the lower court and the SIT on 2002 Gujarat riots, Poojary on Thursday March 27 said that though the law may not prevent Modi from filing his nomination, he has no moral right to contest the Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a press meet at the Congress office here, he said, "Modi has been veiling his real character and fooling the people by making fraudulent statements on developments carried out in Gujarat. However, Gujarat has been witnessing a slump in the growth rate and succumbing to bad governance."

He further said, "Farmers in Gujarat do not get regular power supply. Modi has sold agriculture lands to giant industrialists at a pittance and has nexus with the rich. Over the years in his regime as many as 60,000 small scale and large scale industries have been closed down resulting in the problem of unemployment. Is this the model of development he is putting forth before the country?" he questioned.

Pooojary reiterated the 2002 Gujarat riots and held Modi responsible for the brutal incident. He claimed that though the lower court has upheld the findings of the SIT, the BJP was already exhibiting him as a clean man without knowing that a higher court has been approached. "Modi has no right to contest for the LS elections," he said.

When press persons asked if Congress party and Poojary himself respect the lower court's order, pointing out that the case against Modi was pending in the higher court and he was not proven guilty yet, a seemingly bewildered Poojary corrected his statement and said, "On moral grounds, Modi has no right to contest the elections. People of the country will not allow him to become the Prime Minister."

Sharpening his attack on Modi, he said BJP has no respect for democracy and is projecting a single man as a prime ministerial candidate rather than following the standard federal procedure of Lok Sabha representatives choosing the PM after the elections. "BJP is trying to deny the right of Lok Sabha representatives, which is detrimental to the nation," he said.

Praising AICC president Sonia Gandhi, he said, "Sonia Gandhi has included reservations for Brahmins and Saraswat Brahmins in the manifesto that was released yesterday, which is a milestone in itself. If I enter parliament again, I will insist the party to implement the promises made in the manifesto."

Answering questions on rupee volatility and growth slump during the Congress-led UPA rule, he justified that during long stints of administration slight shifts in the economy are a common phenomenon and there are several factors for such variations.
 
Reiterating his earlier statements, Poojary termed the Lok Sabha contest as one between him and Modi. "It is also a contest between rich industrialists and the poor people of the nation," he said.