From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Feb 7: Even before Karnataka’s assembly polls are announced, the ruling Congress party and opposition BJP have already got themselves embroiled in a bitter war of words with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the receiving end for his jibe at Congress floor leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge from Karnataka’s IT/BT and Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge.
The young Kharge took to twitter to hit out at Modi for the latter’s comment on his father Mallikarjun Kharge that his fate will be decided by the voters of Kalaburagi and said in a democracy the Prime Minister’s fate is also decided by the electorate.
Priyank Kharge tweeted: "In a democracy PM’s fate also is decided by people. People of Kalburagi & Karnataka will decide Kharge’s fate. Till then let us discuss Gujarat Model of development v/s Karnataka Model. Great oratory skills can’t mask lies for long."
Modi on Wednesday had sarcastically said that Mallikarjun Kharge’s speech in the Parliament could be his farewell speech after the Karnataka elections later this year.
Referring to Bashir Badri’s poem, which Kharge recited in his speech in Lok Sabha, PM Modi hoped that the Karnataka MP’s words were being heard by the Karnataka CM too.
"Great to hear the PM speak on Basavanna. Now it is time to #WalkTheTalk. Basavanna believed in "equality". Will he & his party still change the constitution which stands for everyone or they want only a Hindu Rashtra? "Sabka saath sabka vikas" is only for speeches?," Priyank asked.
Priyank said while Prime Minister has invoked Basavanna, the Lingayats will be keen to hear his views on the demand for a separate religion for the Lingayats if and when the State Government recommends it.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister also joined by tweeting: "PM @narendramodi. It was good of you to have remembered me in the Parliament today. I am glad you also remembered Basavanna. Basavanna said "those with wealth will build temples; what do I do a poor man?"
"Kannadigas will thank you sir if you could follow Basavanna’s teachings," Siddaramaiah remarked.
Mallikarjun Kharge had, in his speech referred to the poem saying: "Dushmani jam karkaro. Lekin yeh gunjaish rahein, jab kabhi hum dost ho jay, toh sharmindana ho- vaguely meaning- that even in a rivalry, there should be a scope to become friends again."
In an indirect reference to Siddaramaiah’s recent war-of-words with Amit Shah and his comments on Modi, the Prime Minister expressed hope that the former remembers Kharge’s words too.
The Prime Minister further reminded Kharge of two additional lines of the of the poem - Jee chahta hain sach bole. Jee bahot chahata hain sach bole. Kya karein, hosala nahi hota- thus taking a dig at the latter that he (Kharge), is not able to gather guts to say the truth."
"I do not know if after Karnataka elections, Kharge will be in the same place or not. And thus, it could be his farewell speech as well," Modi further said.