New Delhi: You have taken 'supari' to 'pick pocket' people

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a reported hike in prices of some essential medicines, saying he has taken "supari (contract)" to "pick pockets" of the people. His attack came over media reports stating that 384 essential drugs and more than 1,000 formulations saw a hike of over 11 per cent effective April 1. "Mr. Modi, You have taken 'supari' to pick pockets of the people," Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi. His dig came a day after Prime Minister Modi said at an event in Bhopal that some people are hellbent to sully his image and they have given a "supari" (contract) for this purpose, colluding with certain people sitting in India and also outside the country.

In the wake of communal violence in West Bengal and Bihar, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday questioned the "silence" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the matter, and said "let not 2024 general elections be the reason" for the violence.  Sibal appealed to the people of the country to put a stop to the "burning of Bengal and Bihar, and to the seeds of hatred" which, he said, can only benefit politicians and political ideologies. The ordinary man becomes a victim of this hatred, he said in a statement.

"I want the prime minister (Modi) to speak up, I want the home minister (Shah) to speak up and condemn the violence. It is unfortunate that in the midst of this violence neither of them have spoken, why are they quiet," he asked. "It is my earnest appeal to all those, and it may not be about one particular party, who are responsible for this madness. The country needs to move forward away from the environment that is being created. Let not 2024 be the reason for this," the former Union minister said.

Sibal said let the rule of law prevail. Sources said Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday expressed concern over incidents of communal violence in Bihar, and spoke to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to take stock of the situation. Sibal said it was not enough to express concern. His statement comes after communal violence rocked Sasaram and Bihar Sharif towns during Ram Navami festivities. The police till Saturday arrested 45 people in connection with the communal violence at Sasaram and Bihar Sharif.