Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar ridicule PM Modi’s austerity call

Bengaluru: Chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar Monday mounted a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his appeal for austerity measures, questioning the contradiction between the Centre's economic claims and calls for restraint. Referring to Modi's appeal at an event in Telangana Sunday, Siddaramaiah said the PM must explain what kind of "development" the country is witnessing. "The Prime Minister, who boasted that he would make India a 5 trillion-dollar economy by 2024-25, who proudly claimed that India's development chariot was racing ahead, is now pleading with people not to buy gold, to use less petrol and edible oil, to avoid foreign travel, and to reduce the use of fertilisers. PM Modi must clarify what kind of development this reflects," Siddaramaiah said in a statement. Congress also linked rising fuel and commodity prices to the Centre's foreign policy amid the conflict involving Israel, the US and Iran. "The people of this country are mature enough to understand that the hardship they are facing in their daily lives, with petrol, diesel, cooking gas and edible oil becoming costlier, is the result of the country's confused foreign policy," a statement said. Congress cited official indicators to defend Karnataka's economic performance, pointing out that the state's per capita income stood at Rs 4.3 lakh against the national average of Rs 2.1 lakh, while Karnataka's GDP growth rate was 8.1% compared to India's 7.4%. Shivakumar called the PM's suggestions "impractical". "Modi doesn't say why gold prices hiked. He is asking people to reduce petrol consumption but doesn't say why prices were hiked. How can you tell those planning weddings or religious ceremonies not to buy gold?" he asked. Questioning the call to use public transport, Shivakumar said austerity should begin with BJP functionaries and central govt officials. "One should practice first, before preaching to others," he said. Meanwhile, on Modi's speech in Bengaluru on Sunday, in which he attacked Congress govt saying they are only focused on infighting and the CM chair rather than governance, Siddaramaiah called it a "failure of his own govt at the Centre and his helplessness over BJP's condition in Karnataka". "Instead of addressing issues within his party, he chose to attack us. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee never reduced political discourse to street-style speeches. By delivering speeches filled with lies, hatred and jealousy, Narendra Modi is damaging the dignity, seriousness and propriety of the PM's office," he said.