Punish abuse culture by chanting 'Jai Bajrangbali' when casting vote: PM Modi slams Congress in Karnataka

Uttara Kannada (Karnataka) [India], May 3 : Accusing the Congress of hurling abuses at him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said people of Karnataka do not support this "black culture" and that they should punish those making abuses by saying 'Jai Bajrangbali' when they cast their vote.

Addressing a rally here, the Prime Minister said BJP wants to make Karnataka the number one state in India and has a roadmap and a plan.

Referring to Congress, PM Modi said it tries to get votes by abusing him.

"What is the other way to seek votes, abuse Modi, abuses are being hurled...does anyone in Karnataka accept the black culture, a culture where anyone can abuse, a culture of abuse...does Karnataka forgive those who hurl abuses. What will you do this time, will you punish... when you press the button at the polling booth, punish those (who hurl abuses) by saying 'Jai Bajrangbali'," he said.

Congress on Tuesday released its Karnataka election mfesto which talked of ban on orgsations like Bajrang Dal and the Popular Front of India.

The Congress mfesto said the party is committed to taking firm and decisive action against individuals and orgsations spreading hatred among communities on grounds of caste and religion.

"We believe that law and Constitution is sacrosanct and cannot be violated by individuals and Orgsations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities. We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on any such orgsations," the mfesto said.

Polling for Karnataka elections will take place on May 10 and counting of votes will take place on May 13.

Addressing a rally in Vijayanagara on Tuesday, PM Modi had slammed Congress over its Karnataka election mfesto and said the party was attempting to lock up those who worship Lord Hanuman.

"Today it is my great fortune to bow down to this holy land of Lord Hanuman. But see the misfortune, today when I have come here to bow down to Hanumanji, at the same time the Congress party has decided to lock up Bajrangbali in its mfesto. Earlier Shri Ram was locked up and now they have taken a pledge to lock up those who chant Jai Bajrangbali. It is the misfortune of the country that the Congress had problems even with Lord Shri Ram and now it also has problems with those who say Jai Bajrangbali," he had said.

Addressing an election rally in Bailhongal earlier on Wednesday, PM Modi attacked Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) and said people of the state must be careful about the 'shortcut politics' of the two parties.

"The people of Karnataka have to be careful of the shortcut politics of the Congress and JD-S. This shortcut governance gave birth to the vote-bank politics in the country. Whenever a party does this sort of politics, they think of dividing society, just like Congress. The youth who are born in the 21st century do not want to be cut short by leaving their future in the hands of shortcut people."

Due to this very shortcut politics, PM Modi said thousands of villages did not have electricity after so many years of independence.

Likewise, crores of Indians did not have a roof over their head, bank accounts and tap water connections.

"However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is working to get rid of shortcut governance," he said.

The accountability of the Congress leaders, PM Modi said, is towards "the royal family" in Delhi.

"The royal family controls the leaders through its remote control. JD-S is a private limited company. However, for the BJP, every family in Karnataka is our family and we have accountability towards the people," he said.

"For whom the glorification of their family is the only agenda, they cannot worry about the sacrifices of the ordinary family and their sorrows and happiness. That is why they repeatedly abuse Veer Savarkar ji and spreads lies against him. When Baba Saheb Ambedkar was alive, he was insulted repeatedly," he added.

The BJP has stepped up its campaigning in Karnataka with its top leaders campaigning in the state.