Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashok said here on Sunday, January 7, that the BJP is thinking of launching “free sakappa abhivruddhi madappa” (enough of guarantees, do development) drive against the Congress government in Karnataka.
Addressing the BJP workers at the party office, he alleged that the development works in the State have come to a standstill as the government is cash-starved by implementing its free guarantee schemes. About 40 to 50 Congress MLAs are now upset with their party for diverting funds for guarantee schemes and sparing no funds for development projects.
Mr. Ashok said that the Congress is prolonging the guarantee schemes till the Lok Sabha elections and later it will wound up the schemes as it can not sustain the free schemes.
He claimed that Karnataka’s financial condition was stable among other States. However, after the Congress government took over, the financial condition began deteriorating due to diverting funds for guarantee schemes. “But the Congress is covering it up (that the financial condition is worsening),” he alleged adding that on the other hand, the guarantee schemes are not reaching the deserved.
Mr. Ashok claimed that many students, including those pursuing MBBS, have not gotten their scholarships and stipend since past six months as the government did not have money.
The Leader of the Opposition said that each farmer in the State should have got compensation ranging from ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 due to drought. However, the government does not have funds for providing compensation. “The government should have allocated ₹4,000 crore to ₹5,000 crore for tackling drought. But it has allocated only ₹100 crore for the purpose,” he said.
Mr. Ashok claimed that 550 farmers have ended their lives in the State in the last seven months after the Congress government took over.
He said that the Congress in the State is not tolerating the people’s support for the consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya scheduled on January 22. Hence, it has reopened old cases against the BJP workers. “The Congress has indulged only in appeasing Muslims,” he alleged.
D. Vedavyasa Kamath, Mangaluru City South MLA; Y. Bharat Shetty, Mangaluru City North MLA; Pratapsimha Nayak, MLC; Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur and president of Dakshina Kannada unit of BJP Sudarshan Moodbidri were present.
Published - January 07, 2024 08:45 pm IST
