Modi couldn’t give jobs, grew a beard: Siddaramaiah

'When asked for jobs, he asked people to make pakodas,' the Karnataka Leader of the Opposition said

Karnataka Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah on Tuesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s beard, suggesting that facial hair was his alternative to providing jobs.

He was speaking at an event where new NSUI Karnataka office-bearers were appointed. Student leader Kirthi Ganesh NG took charge as the NSUI state president.

“In seven years, Modi should have created 14 crore jobs at two crore a year. Has he given at least 14,000? He couldn't provide jobs and grew a beard,” Siddaramaiah, a former chief minister, said.

Accusing Modi of lying all the time, Siddaramaiah said the youth were misled. “When asked for jobs, he asked people to make pakodas. Even that can't be done because the cost of cooking oil has touched Rs 200 a litre,” he said. “Modi speaks only lies. What else does he speak? Even today, he lies on Mann Ki Baat...it's full of lies.”

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The Congress leader also noted that Modi’s popularity was declining. “It’s slowly declining, but not fully,” he pointed out.

Speaking at the event, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar urged student leaders to send photocopies of their degree certificates to Modi. “Let them give jobs or keep the certificates,” he said, making the new NSUI office-bearers vow to enroll 75,000 students as members this year.

Shivakumar also targeted the BJP government over crimes against women. “Rapes have increased under the BJP government. There have been four this month - Belagavi, Chitradurga, Tumakuru and Mysuru,” he said.