Came to Karnataka for Bharat Jodo, spoke about Bharat Todo in London: Sarma

Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks during his London visit, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said while he abused Indian Parliament on foreign soil, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praises his motherland wherever he goes.

Speaking at a 'Vijay Sankalp' rally at Gangavathi in the Koppal area of poll-bound Karnataka on Sunday, the Assam CM said, "PM Modi is working for the development of Karnataka and the rest of the country. When he travels to London or America, he praises our country. But when Rahul Gandhi visited London, he abused our Parliament."

Sarma's remark followed Rahul's recent lecture at the prestigious Cambridge University where he claimed that the basic structure of the Indian democracy was under attack.

"Everybody knows and it's been in the news a lot that Indian democracy is under pressure and under attack. I am an Opposition leader in India, we are navigating that (Opposition) space. The institutional framework which is required for a democracy -- Parliament, free press, the judiciary, just the idea of mobilisation, moving around -- all are being constrained. So, we are facing an attack on the basic structure of Indian democracy," the Congress MP alleged.

In a dig at the Congress leader, Sarma said Rahul came to Karnataka for 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' and then talked about 'Bharat Todo' (destroying India's image) in London.

"He (Rahul Gandhi) came to Karnataka for 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' and then talked about 'Bharat todo' in London. When he came to Karnataka for the yatra, I asked him who broke India in 1947. Your maternal grandfather did it," said Sarma.

Urging the people of Karnataka to vote the BJP back to power in the upcoming Assembly elections, the Assam CM said under the leadership of PM Modi, the country will become a 'Visva Guru' (world leader).

"We've to bring the BJP back to power in Karnataka. The Vidhan Sabha election is the semi-final. Our main objective is to play the final and make Modi-ji the Prime Minister for the third time in a row. Under the leadership of PM Modi, India will become a Vishwa Guru during the 'Amrti Kaal' (golden era)," the Assam CM said.

Karnataka is scheduled to go to polls before June, as the term of the 224-member Assembly is set to end on May 24.

In the 2018 Assembly elections, BJP won 104 seats to emerge as the single largest party, while the Congress and JD(S) bagged 78 and 37 seats respectively.

While Congress and the JDS came together to form the government, the BJP later reclaimed the hustings after prising out several legislators from the ruling parties, thereby reducing the previous government to a minority.