PM Modi made India strong, no comparison with Jawaharlal Nehru: Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai

Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai said PM Narendra Modi has worked for India’s unity and made the country strong, so there cannot be a comparison with Jawaharlal Nehru.

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New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday (May 28) said that India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and incumbent PM Narendra Modi cannot be compared, adding that the latter has made the country “strong”, PTI reported. Bommai’s remarks came after senior Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah had said Nehru and Modi cannot be compared at an event commemorating the former PM on his death anniversary in Bengaluru. In a reply to Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka CM said, "Obviously, he (Modi) cannot be compared with Nehru, because Nehru when China invaded India (in 1962), without taking proper measures, gave away border areas (to China), while Narendra Modi stood strong and saved our border areas (in recent border skirmishes).” 

Further, the BJP leader said Modi has worked for India’s unity and made the country strong. "Also, he (Modi) has not entered into any compromise with Pakistan. He has worked for India's unity and integrity, there are several such examples. Modi made India strong, so there can be no comparison," Bommai was quoted as saying by the news agency. 

Attacking Siddaramaiah, who is the Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly, over his dig at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Karnataka CM asked whether the Congress leader was a “Dravidian or Aryan”.  Earlier on Friday, Siddaramaiah had asked whether those who belonged to RSS were "native Indians", "Dravidians" or "Aryans", irking the BJP.  "Where is Nehru, where is Modi. It is like comparing land and sky, there is no comparison at all...He (Modi) has undone all the good works of Nehru, like the Five-Year Plans, among others," the Congress leader had said at the event on Nehru’s death anniversary. 

Responding to Siddaramaiah’s jibe at RSS, Bommai said, "I just want to ask, from where Siddaramaiah has come, whether he is a Dravida or Aryan. Let him tell that first."

(With PTI inputs)