PM Modi cites 'Krishna and Sudama' story to counter corruption allegations

Lucknow: Prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday cited the story of Lord Krishna and his childhood friend Sudama to counter allegations of corruption levelled against his government by the opposition parties when he inaugurated the famous Kalki Dham temple in Sambhal in UP.

The Hindu religious scriptures 'Bhagwat Purana' contain the mythological tale of Sudama, a 'poor brahmin', who had studied with Lord Krishna at the Gurukul. The brahmin goes to Krishna, after he becomes the king of Dwarka, in the hope of getting some help. Krishna, overjoyed about Sudama's visit, rushes to welcome him and also washes his feet.

It is said that upon being asked by Lord Krishna if he (Sudama) had brought something for him, Sudama gave him some flattened rice that he had carried with him from home, the only valuable thing he had to offer.

''Aaj agar Sudama ne Krishna ko chaval ki potli di hoti to uska video bahar aa jata aur Supreme Court mein PIL ho jati ki Sudama ne Shrikrishna ko chaval ki rishwat di hai. (If today Sudama had give rice to Shrikrishna then a video of the same would have been made public and a PIL would have been filed in the SC alleging corrution... that Sudama had bribed Shrikrishna by giving him rice)," Modi said.

The prime minister's veiled attack on the opposition came when the Mahant (religious head) of Kalki Dham Pramod Krishnan, a former Congress leader, told Modi that he (Krishnan) had nothing to offer him.