Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by calling it the “Bharatiya Chombu Party,” accusing the BJP of looting public funds and offering empty promises in return. The term “chombu” in Kannada refers to a round water pot, often used to symbolize emptiness and deception.
Gandhi’s comments were made during an election rally in Karnataka, where he held a pot to emphasize his point. He asserted that the BJP has looted public money in abundance, giving nothing back but empty pots. His remarks came during public meetings in Vijayapura and Ballari, where he criticized Modi’s relentless attacks on the Congress and questioned the prime minister’s credibility.
“You have heard the prime minister’s speeches. He is scared. It’s possible that he may shed tears on stage,” Gandhi said, suggesting that Modi’s recent rhetoric stems from a sense of fear. Gandhi also pointed out that Modi has been ramping up his attacks on the Congress by bringing up issues like “mangalsutra,” “redistribution of wealth,” and “inheritance tax,” topics not previously mentioned in his speeches before the first phase of polling.
The Congress leader accused Modi of deflecting public attention from real issues by discussing China, Pakistan, or by engaging in symbolic gestures like beating plates and switching on mobile phone flashlights during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gandhi emphasized that Karnataka, under the BJP’s rule, has not received a fair share of tax revenues. He claimed that for every ₹100 that Karnataka contributes to the country through the Goods and Services Tax (GST), it only gets ₹13 back through tax devolution. Moreover, Gandhi said that Karnataka was supposed to receive ₹18,000 crore for drought relief but ended up with an “empty chombu.” He also mentioned that the Finance Commission failed to allocate ₹60,000 crore, providing only “empty chombu” instead.
Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the BJP’s economic policies and tax devolution suggests that the Congress party is focusing on economic issues and regional disparities ahead of the upcoming elections. By using the term “Bharatiya Chombu Party,” Gandhi aims to portray the BJP as a party that promises much but delivers little, hoping to resonate with voters seeking accountability and economic fairness.
