Karnataka’s growth stuck in Bengaluru’s traffic: Amit Shah

Bengaluru, Apr 20: BJP chief Amit Shah on Thursday mocked Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his “ignorance” and his incorrect pronunciation of Sir M Visvesvaraya’s name.

Shah’s ridicule came during his address to trade and industry representatives here.

“Rahul has been repeatedly saying that the BJP had waived off loans borrowed by industrialists while not doing so for farmers in distress. I challenge Rahul...let him prove that a single industrialist’s loan has been waived. Rahul baba doesn’t understand the difference between a non-performing asset (NPA) and a loan waiver. He’s misleading the country because of his ignorance,” Shah said. “Let him first learn to pronounce Visvesvaraya’s name.”

Shah also blasted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for “sleeping all the time” and demanded an account of what his government had done with the money the Centre had sent for Karnataka. “Siddaramaiah goes to Delhi and gives Rahul an injection. Rahul asks Prime Minister Narendra Modi what the BJP had done for Karnataka in the last four years. In reality, Siddaramaiah has to provide an account because Karnataka’s growth is stuck in Bengaluru’s traffic,” he said.

While hailing the city as a destination where India’s youth competed with their global counterparts, Shah accused Siddaramaiah for “destroying Bengaluru.”

Shah also responded to criticism that the Modi administration had not created enough jobs. “Wherever I go, I’m asked about employment. No government can give 100% employment, but the Modi government has provided an avenue for self-employment through the Mudra scheme. It has benefitted nine crore youth with guarantee-free loans,” he said.