The Congress on Friday played the ‘Kannada pride’ card to repulse Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attacks on the Siddaramaiah government accusing it of turning Bengaluru into a “garbage city” and “sin city”. Congress president Rahul Gandhi slammed Modi for “insulting” Bengaluru – the “pride of India” – by calling it a “garbage city”. He also attached an image detailing the money spent by the Congress-led UPA as compared to funding provided by the BJP-led NDA government on urban infrastructure.

Addressing a rally at Kengeri on the fringes of Bengaluru on Thursday, Modi attacked the Siddaramaiah government for allegedly turning India’s Silicon Valley into a “sin valley” and Bengaluru into a “garbage city”. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi demanded an apology from Modi for his “garbage city” and “sin city” jibes at Bengaluru. “Is this how you describe proud Bangloreans and proud Kannadigas,” asked Singhvi. “Karnataka is a birthplace of IT giants, a technological hub, a real start up hub, and the prime minister ignores the S for superior, the I for Information Technology and N for novelty, and calls it a valley of SIN,” Singhvi said. Singhvi said the shrill BJP campaign in Karnataka was a desperate attempt to divert the attention from the “failures” of the Modi government which had failed to protect interests of the poll-bound state in the Supreme Court on the Cauvery water-sharing issue. ‘1100% more funds provided’ Rahul claimed that the Congress-led UPA provided 1100% more funds to Karnataka’s cities as compared to that given by the Modi government. He said the UPA government spent Rs 6,570 crore for developing urban infrastructure in Karnataka against Rs 598 crore given by the Modi government.