Tubelight is better than zero bulb, Mallikarjun Kharge tells PM Narendra Modi

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “zero bulb” for referring to former AICC president Rahul Gandhi as “tubelight” in the Lok Sabha earlier this week.

“If I was there, I’d have said that although a tubelight takes a little more time to turn on, it provides more brightness. But a zero bulb doesn’t give light, despite turning on fast. If I was there, I’d have said that you (Modi) may be a zero bulb, but a tubelight is much better. But I’m not there (in Lok Sabha),” Kharge told reporters.

Kharge hit out at Modi saying he was “diverting” the attention of people. “Today, unemployment is at a 45-year high. There are no jobs and there’s inflation. And there were promises made on bringing back black money and increasing farmers’ income. Instead of speaking on all this, Modi is making comments unbecoming of a prime minister,” he said.

The former Union minister hit out at the Modi government over its 2020-21 Budget promises, especially on the ambiguity on the allocation for the Bengaluru suburban rail project and replacement of the rail coach factory with a repair workshop at Kolar. “The rail coach factory at Kolar was approved when I was the railways' minister. I strongly object that this project has now been replaced,” Kharge said.

‘Step-motherly treatment’

Former minister D K Shivakumar also hit out at the BJP, both in the state and the Centre, over “step-motherly treatment” being given to Karnataka.

“Twenty-five BJP MPs have been elected from Karnataka. There should be a sense of gratitude towards the state. But all the MPs and MLAs are simply scared to raise their voice,” Shivakumar said. “Karnataka got step-motherly treatment when Congress was in power here also, but it’s become more with the BJP in power,” he said.

Congress will attack the BJP government over this matter during the upcoming legislature session, he added.