Discontent to be discussed in party not public: Kharge

Senior Congress leader and AICC General Secretary M Mallikarjun Kharge has on Wednesday warned the State Congress leaders against washing their dirty laundry in public over the appointment of a Leader of Opposition.

Speaking to reporters here he said, "Discontent should be discussed in the party forum. There is no groupism in the party State unit but there are differences of opinion".

Media makes it a mountain of a molehill. It is like a proverb - char aane ki murgi barah aane ka masala. The media should not create news, Kharge told.

Reiterating that there are no groups of original and migrated leaders in the party, the senior leader said, once any leader joins the Congress, he will become the Congress man.

Reacting to the show cause notice issued to MLA Basanagouda Patil Yantal for making remarks against the union government, the ex-MP said, when such is the situation, who will speak against injustice in the assembly or parliament?. They will neither do anything nor do they extend help. If anybody raises voice, he/she gets notice. It might be the internal matter of the BJP. But they are trying to silence those who raise their voice, he charged.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had arrived recently to Karnataka to witness the landing of Chandrayaan-2 on the moon. Why did not he make an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas?, the leader asked.

Stating that the union government can’t release as much funds as sought by the State governments, Kharge said, the previous UPA government did not release the funds as much as funds requested by the States.

Karnataka had sought Rs 38,000 crore from the Centre but it has released Rs 1,200 crore only for the flood relief works. The lowest release of financial aid has upset the State leaders. No one has dared to question the union government, he accused.

Cases will be booked against those who speak against the prime minister. Those who have posed faith in Narendra Modi are patriots. Are others traitors? the Congress veteran asked.