Karnataka Legislative Council member and chief whip Saleem Ahmed chose a heartwarming way to celebrate his birthday this year, spending time with specially-abled children at a Hubballi institution. The event, however, also became a platform for sharp political critique against the ruling party at the Centre.
Birthday Celebrations with a Purpose
On Thursday evening, Saleem Ahmed marked his birthday by interacting with students and staff at the Jyoti Residential School for Special Needs Children in Hubballi. The visit highlighted his engagement with the community, focusing on a section often needing greater attention and support.
Scathing Critique of the BJP-Led Central Government
Speaking to reporters after the visit, the Congress MLC launched a vigorous attack on the BJP's Union government. He stated that the Congress party would actively educate the public about what he termed the "failures and false promises" made by the central administration over the past eleven years.
Ahmed questioned the morality of the BJP criticising the state's Congress government. He recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's old pledge of bringing black money back and crediting 15 lakh rupees to every citizen's account, a promise he said remained unfulfilled. He accused the Centre of failing to provide employment for youth, develop the farming sector, and control the rising prices of essential commodities.
"During former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's time, petrol cost around 50 rupees. Now it has crossed 100 rupees," Ahmed stated, pointing to inflation as a major failure. He directly linked the BJP's recent setback in the Lok Sabha elections to this loss of public trust, claiming people had lost faith in Modi. He went further to predict that the BJP would not secure even 100 seats in the next parliamentary elections.
Predictions and Personal Aspirations
Expressing confidence in the opposition coalition, Ahmed predicted that the India Alliance would come to power at the Centre in the near future. He asserted that Rahul Gandhi would definitely become the Prime Minister.
On the state front, Ahmed indicated that a discussion on a cabinet reshuffle could happen after January 15, with the final decision resting with the party high command, the Chief Minister, and the Deputy Chief Minister. He openly expressed his own aspiration for a ministerial berth, noting that no minority community member had been made a minister in the Kittur Karnataka region for the last 20 years, with the exception of Jabbar Khan Honnalli. He said he was confident of securing a position this time.
Defending State's Guarantee Schemes
Ahmed strongly defended the Karnataka state government's flagship five guarantee schemes. He listed Shakti Yojana, Anna Bhagya, Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyoti, and Yuva Nidhi Yojane as complementary to the state's overall development, reaching all sections of society.
He emphasized that the government worked on the principle of equal opportunity for all, with a special focus on women's empowerment through the Shakti scheme. He provided a significant statistic, noting that more than 600 crore women have travelled free of cost under the Shakti Yojana. Ahmed claimed the guarantees were successfully implemented and assured that these welfare schemes would continue effectively in the coming years.
