Karnataka 2023: PM Modi Invokes Shri Basaveshwara's Anubhava Mantapa To Underline India's Democratic Heritage; Denounces Rahul's London Comments

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of insulting 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara by questioning Indian democracy in London.

PM Modi launched the attack on the Congress leader during his visit to Dharwad in Karnataka to formally inaugurate the IIT Dharwad campus on Sunday (12 March).

Gandhi, during the UK visit, had alleged that the structures of Indian democracy were under "brutal attack" and there was a full-scale assault on the institutions of the country.

“I am glad to be here in the land of Shri Basaveshwara, who laid the foundation of democracy by instituting the Anubhava Mantapa. A few years ago, I had the honour of unveiling a statue of Shri Basaveshwara in London," PM Modi said, reports The Hindu.

"But in the same London, some people have raised questions about the democratic system in India. It is so unfortunate that such people have been continually and regularly attacking the Indian democratic system and values. They are dragging it to the court and putting it into the dock. It is unfortunate,” he said, without taking the name of the Congress leader.

“The roots of India's democracy are drawn from our centuries-old history. No power in the world can harm India's democratic traditions”, the Prime Minister remarked.

“Despite this”, the Prime Minister continued, “some people are constantly putting India's democracy in the dock. Such people are insulting Lord Basaveshwara and the people of Karnataka and the country".

He warned the people of Karnataka to stay alert from such people.

He expressed his belief that the Anubhava Mantapa is one of the most significant contributions of Shri Basaveshwara.

"Our democracy has adopted several of the principles that were preached by Shri Basaveshwara in his Anubhava Mantapa. That is why I say India is not only the world’s largest democracy, but also the mother of democracy. We are all proud of it,” he said.

PM Modi said that Karnataka was proving to be the engine of high-tech India and it needed the double engine to progress in that direction further.