Coalition govt protecting looters in state: Smriti

Union Minister Smriti Irani has accused the coalition partners in Karnataka of protecting looters.

“Ministers of the coalition government took to streets when I-T raids were carried out on corrupt contractors. It is a remote-controlled government,” Smriti said.

“Those who submitted an affidavit questioning the existence of Lord Rama in the Supreme Court, are now moving around in Ayodhya during the election. Those who had spent time in foreign countries are now having the darshan of River Ganga, fearing Modi. The Lok Sabha elections will teach them a lesson,” she told a BJP rally in Gonikoppa.

She accused the Congress leaders of abusing soldiers on social media.

The previous UPA government had followed a soft approach in tackling terrorism. However, the Modi government has given a befitting answer to those who support and nurture terrorism, Smriti said.

Attacking Rahul Gandhi for speaking ill of GST, she said, “Rahul Gandhi is an unscientific man who will impose same tax for liquor and rice. The Congress does not want development of the country. They want citizens to beg before them.”

She said, “The poor could not enter the portals of the banks five years ago. Through Jandhan Yojana, bank accounts were opened for the common man. About 1.4 crore bank accounts were opened in Karnataka in the last five years.”

Lashing at the previous Congress government, she said the citizens of the country are well aware of who looted the subsidy amounts.

“There were eight crore fake bank accounts during the UPA tenure, looting the exchequer. Modi ensured that the subsidy amount reaches the beneficiaries,” Smriti said.

Mysore-Kodagu BJP candidate Prathap Simha was present.