After Priyanka Gandhi's Remarks, Congress Begins '#CryPMPayCM' Campaign

After the 'PayCM' posters emerged in Karnataka last year, Congress on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi using the 'CryPMPayCM' hashtag on social media. The move came a day after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra remarked that PM Modi was the first PM to “cry” in front of people in response to the latter's complaints of verbal abuse.

"But he (Modi) is the first Prime Minister I have seen, who comes before you and cries that he is being abused. Instead of listening to your grief, he is coming here and telling you his (probems)," Priyanka Gandhi said at a public meeting in Bagalkote district. Modi on Saturday said till now the party and its leaders had hurled different types of abuses at him '91 times'.

Congress leaders used the hashtag #CryPMPayCM on Twitter. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala posted a video of Priyanka’s speech and wrote, “The #CryPMPayCM should start listening to People of #Karnataka ! This is the only Raj Dharma.” He added that Kannadigas seek “accountability, answers, a corruption free government”, for which they “need a new vision… (and) Congress guarantees!”

Congress leader Srivatsa B Y tweeted, “After not fulfilling 90% of their manifesto promises made in 2018, the #CryPMPayCM 40% Commission BJP Govt has released another BOGUS Manifesto”. The BJP released its manifesto for the elections today.

Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee tweeted, "The PM's speeches these days remind me of my Facebook feed - full of complaints and no substantial content. Time for a status update? #CryPMPayCM."

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that PM Modi had never cried and the grand old party had been crying for 9 years, but still didn't have people's sympathy.

Congress in the past had started a 'PayCM' campaign alleging that the BJP government charges a 40 per cent commission on all public works. A wordplay on digital payments firm Paytm, the PayCM campaign had a QR code showing Bommai's face in the middle.

(With inputs from PTI)