As many as 10 people were detained by police in Bengaluru on Sunday for holding protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by selling “pakodas” to condemn his recent remark that “pakoda” selling was also employment.
The term ‘pakoda’ is now being used from time to time to criticize the BJP government. When Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the Union Budget 2018-19 on the first day of the month, people, who were left disappointed, soon started tweeting with the hash tag ‘pakoda budget’.
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In Bengaluru on Sunday, the youth, who donned graduation caps and robes, were reportedly selling the pakodas on the roads, just a few metres away from the Palace Grounds, where PM Modi was addressing a massive BJP rally.
In a recent interview with a television channel, PM Modi had claimed that someone earning Rs. 200 by opening a “pakoda” shop by the street cannot be called unemployed.
Meanwhile, around 100 more people belonging to pro-Kannada organisations were also detained by police at Freedom Park in the city centre, as they held protests demanding PM Modi’s intervention in Mahadayi water dispute between Karnataka and Goa.
PM Modi on Sunday launched the BJP’s election campaign in the state by making a determined bid to woo the voters while assuring a clean, honest and development-oriented government, including a global benchmarked infrastructure.
Karnataka goes to the polls this May with the BJP, under Mr B S Yeddyurappa, its state president, seeking to regain power while the Congress under chief minister Siddaramiah will fight to retain control.
(With IANS inputs)