Swachh Bharat cess funding Modi advertisements: Digvijay Singh

HYDERABAD: Taking a dig at the Swachh Bharat cess, Congress leader Digvijay Singh today alleged that the money collected through the campaign is only going into publishing advertisements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"What is the basic function of a municipal corporation? Cleanliness. Cleanliness should be there. Narendra Modi talks about 'Swachh Bharat'. 'Swachh Bharat' tax is also collected. Where this tax is going? This whole money is going into publishing the advertisements of Modiji. It is not going into any 'Swachh Bharat' campaign," he said.

The AICC General Secretary was speaking at a training camp organised here for Congress functionaries, including representatives of civic bodies.

Alleging that it is not clear as to what is a 'smart city', another flagship programme of the NDA Government, he said the Centre can develop 'smart cities', but it has to first ensure the cities and towns are free from garbage.

Training his guns on BJP-RSS, the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister alleged the saffron outfit and Modi came to power by making false promises.

Singh, in-charge of Congress affairs in Telangana, asked the partymen to step out of party office in Hyderabad and reach out to people.

Charging that the TRS Government worked only for its first family and hiked irrigation project costs, he asked Congress leaders to take up these issues with the people.