Karnataka Congress leaders rail at Modi for his ‘tubelight’ jibe

BENGALURU: Forty-eight hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi implied in the Lok Sabha that Rahul Gandhi is a ‘tubelight’ (meaning slow-witted), two Karnataka Congress took up a defence of their leader.

Veteran M. Mallikarjuna Kharge on Saturday said the remark does not behove the stature of a Prime Minister. And then, when a tubelight glows, it provides ample light but a zero bulb doesn't.

Speaking to reporters at his residence in Bengaluru, Kharge observed that Narendra Modi has a bad habit of making personal attacks. "He is a second-term prime minister. He should not lower the dignity of his position by making such comments. The opposition’s role is to highlight the failures of the ruling party. He must learn to accept it, but unfortunately, he hasn't," he said.

Kharge said he would have immediately responded to Modi's remark had he been in the Lok Sabha. "Modi should speak about the promises he made to the people: doubling of farmers’ income, jobs and so on. He has made so many promise in the last six years, he might have forgotten the count. Let him speak on these issues instead of making personal remarks against his political opponents," he said.

Former Karnataka minister D.K. Shivakumar too lashed out at the prime minister. "If he (Modi) considers himself a floodlight, we have no problem. But let him throw some light on the promises he made to our young people and farmers. While the country's economy is in a downturn, Modi is busy taking digs at political opponents. First let him put the economy in the right direction," he said.