After failing India for nine years, Modi wants to showcase himself as world leader: Kanhaiah Kumar

Congress leader Kanhaiha Kumar on Saturday that after exhausting the ‘failed’ slogans of clean governance in 2014 and projecting himself as saving the nation from external aggression in 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now projecting himself as a ‘world leader’ for the next elections as he had nothing concrete to offer for the poor and middle classes that had suffered under this government.

Speaking to reporters here, the firebrand leader asked if Mr. Modi could give an answer to the countrymen on his achievements after nine years. “He will never come to the media and answer the questions as he has nothing to tell. Instead, he gives interview to film stars and they speak on what food he likes or what he wears,” he said, adding that the PM’s behaviour reeked of narcisssim and nothing else.

Mr. Kanhaiah, who was here to launch the booklet ‘Nau saal, Nau sawaal’ released by the Congress exposing the ‘failures’ of the government, said that Congress posed nine questions to the Prime Minister and he must answer to the nation on the rising prices, unemployment, and farmers’ woes. ‘Every section has suffered in the nine-year rule except his friend Adani, who turned richest person in the country when the country’s economy was in a doldrums,” he said.

He said unemployment was the highest in India’s Independent history and prices had touched the roof but there was no response from the government. Governance had collapsed with the Prime Minister himself playing all the roles of Parliament Speaker, Finance Minister, Railway Minister, Defence Minister and Foreign Minister, he alleged and added that this ‘me and myself’ attitude had destroyed the country.

The former student leader further attacked the Prime Minister saying he harped on divisive politics throughout these nine years. “During normal times the BJP’s slogan is ‘Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikaas’ but it changes to ‘Ali Vs Bajrangbali’ during the election time. In Karnataka too BJP played a similar strategy but it was rejected by the people.

Questioning BJP’s constant attack on Parivarvaad (Family rule), he said when Home Minister Amit Shah’s son, Jay Shah becomes BCCI chief there was no ‘parivaarvad’ but when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s son became MLA or Mr. Anurag Thakur a Minister there was no ‘parivaarvad’. There were so many instances of family rule in the BJP and it was shameful that it should charge the Congress and others with family rule.

Mr. Kanhaiah, who was at his acerbic best, alleged that all the schemes aimed at the welfare of poor people were cut down or restricted. But at the same time, the Prime Minister would boast of supplying 5 kg of free rice to 80 crore people. This dichotomy should be exposed. “People are getting poorer and youngsters don’t have employment opportunities but there is just showmanship to deceive people,” he charged.