Narendra Modi tears into HD Kumaraswamy for remark on soldiers

GANGAVATI (KOPPAL): Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday for his alleged comment that children from poor families who cannot afford two square meals should join the Army. Those who say this should “drown themselves” (in shame), the PM said.


“The CM said people who don’t get enough food two times a day go to the Army. Isn’t this an insult to

brave soldiers

? Will you ask votes on this basis? Arey doob maro desh ki sena ka apmaan karne walon (They should drown themselves for insulting brave soldiers),’’ Modi said at a rally in Gangavati, around 400km from Bengaluru and known as the rice bowl of Karnataka.

On Thursday, at a

public rally in Mandya

, Kumaraswamy had slammed Modi for “playing with the lives of jawans for votes” and reportedly added: “The soldiers who guard our borders are not born with a silver spoon. Some youths who are unemployed and cannot afford two square meals a day are joining the Army.”

The BJP’s Karnataka wing posted a part of the video and advised the CM to send his son Nikhil, contesting from Mandya, to serve in the Army to know what it takes to be a soldier.

Hours later, Kumaraswamy tweeted: “The BJP is up to its old tricks again. They posted an edited video with false interpretation to malign me. I had said that not all who join defence forces are rich. The PM should not play with the lives of jawans to get votes. I never said jawans are in the Army just for livelihood.”

Modi responded: “People born with a silver spoon and enjoying power for three generations can’t understand the sacrifices of security personnel. Because of this corruption takes place in defence deals and jawans don’t get ammunition and life-saving jackets and quality equipment. What kind of thought is this, Kumarswamyji? You cannot keep quiet saying that this statement has been taken out of context. You have said only that which is in your heart. There have been no false interpretations.”

Did Gowda retire?

The PM attacked Kumaraswamy’s brother and PWD minister HD Revanna for saying he’d retire from politics if Modi became Prime Minister again.

“Deve Gowdaji’s son claimed he would retire from politics, if BJP comes to power. In 2014, Deve Gowdaji had said the same. Did he retire? No. He is now busy campaigning after distributing tickets to his family members, promoting dynasty politics,” Modi said. He also dubbed the JD(S)-Congress alliance as a “20% commission government’’. Modi earlier said the previous Siddaramaiah dispensation was a “10% commission” government.