Bommai ridicules Rahul Gandhi, says no need to talk about ‘Nakli Gandhis’

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday called Rahul Gandhi and his family as ‘fake Gandhis’ and preferred not to discuss about them on Gandhi Jayanti.

Bommai was speaking to reporters after paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 153rd birth anniversary.

“Why are you talking about Nakli (fake) Gandhis on Gandhi Jayanti. There is no need to talk about Nakli Gandhis on Gandhi Jayanti,” the Chief Minister said.

He was replying to a query on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s charge that there was rampant corruption in Karnataka under the BJP rule.

“The entire party (Congress) is on bail. He (Rahul) himself is on bail, the previous Congress president, honourable Sonia Gandhi is on bail. Our president (state Congress president D K Shivakumar) is also on bail. The entire party is bail party. Everyone (in Congress) is facing corruption charges,” Bommai alleged.

He charged that Shivakumar, who is also participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, is facing lots of corruption charges for the past two to three years.

Bommai alleged that the Congress has a grouse after losing Karnataka.

“They (Congress) may have qualms that Karnataka is no more their ATM (Automated Teller Machine), which it used to be earlier,” he said.

Bommai said the Congress’ charge of corruption was a sinister campaign.

“There is no 40 per cent or any per cent. It is known to all. This is what is called in English as ‘Sinister Campaign’. I have often said if someone provides me evidence of any such thing that happened in the past, we will conduct an inquiry. Everything will come out. That’s my stand,” the chief minister said.