BJP released a 50-page booklet highlighting the failures of the Siddaramaiah government, which has now completed 100 days in office.
BJP leaders released a booklet highlighting the failures and allegations on the Siddaramaiah government in Bengaluru on Tuesday. (supplied)
Even as the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka is patting itself on the back for delivering on three of its five poll promises within 100 days of coming to power, the Opposition BJP on Tuesday, 29 August, released a booklet highlighting its “failures”.
The booklet of allegations came on a day the Siddaramaiah government was preparing to roll out its fourth, and most-awaited, poll guarantee — the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, which transfers ₹2,000 to women heads of families every month as basic income — on Wednesday.
Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, and former minister Govind Karjol released a booklet on the Siddaramaiah government at a private hotel in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
BJP leaders hit out at the Congress government for halting the previous BJP government’s programmes and schemes meant for the welfare of farmers, women, students, Backward Classes, and others.
Bommai also said that the party would make decisions regarding the appointment of the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) at the right time.
The BJP is yet to appoint LoPs to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council even though the Assembly elections were held and the results announced in May.
Criticising the Siddaramaiah government, Bommai claimed that development works had come to a complete halt in Karnataka since the Congress government came to power.
He told reporters in Bengaluru on Tuesday: “The Congress government has completed 100 days. Instead of providing a roadmap for the next five years, this government has turned directionless.”
He added: “Corruption and loot are rampant in all departments. The government has gone off track. The government is caught up in turmoil and has failed to manage finances.”
ರಾಜ್ಯ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ನೂರು ದಿನಗಳ ವೈಫಲ್ಯಗಳ ಕುರಿತು ರಾಜ್ಯ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಹೊರ ತಂದಿರುವ “ಕೈಕೊಟ್ಟ ಯೋಜನೆಗಳು ಹಳಿ ತಪ್ಪಿದ ಆಡಳಿತ” ಪುಸ್ತಕವನ್ನು ರಾಜ್ಯ ರಾಜ್ಯಾಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರಾದ ಶ್ರೀ @nalinkateel ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಪತ್ರಿಕಾ ಗೋಷ್ಠಿಯನ್ನು ನಡೆಸಿ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಮಾಡಲಾಯಿತು.
ಈ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾಜಿ ಡಿಸಿಎಂ @GovindKarjol, ವಿಧಾನ ಪರಿಷತ್ ಮಾಜಿ… pic.twitter.com/YOBBT992O2
— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) August 29, 2023
Bommai continued: “The financial system has been derailed under this government. We presented a surplus budget, but this government has borrowed around ₹8,000 crore. It increased taxes of around ₹35,000 crore. In total, it has burdened the common people and the state with ₹45,000 crore of additional taxes. They have mismanaged finances and increased the deficit by around ₹12,000 crore.”
Taking a dig at the 100 days of governance of the Congress regime, Bommai said: “The government is not paying the salaries properly to government and KSRTC employees. After the Congress came to power, it has built not even a single kilometre of road.”
He added: “The government has not paid attention to the farmers despite a drought in the state. The farmers are not getting yields and are resorting to suicide even though they have sown twice. In the last two months, more than 50 farmers have died by suicide. During the previous Siddaramaiah government, more than 4,500 farmers ended their lives.”
Stating that the Congress regime had stopped several schemes of the previous BJP government, Bommai said: “Our government’s Raitha Vidyanidhi, Jeevan Jyothi Yojana, Raitha Shakti, and several others schemes have been completely halted.”
He added: “We sanctioned hundreds of hostels including five mega hostels (capacity to accommodate over 1,000 students) in major cities in the state. This government has not provided any grant to continue these projects. The development has completely stopped in the state. The government is busy in corruption and looting in broad daylight.”
Levelling serious allegations against the Siddaramaiah government, Bommai said that the deputy commissioner (DC), assistant commissioner (AC), and other plum posts were being auctioned by the government.
“The auction is going on for Ac and DC posts in this government. The rate of Bengaluru assistant commissioner is around ₹13 crore and Bengaluru rural deputy commissioner post is being auctioned for ₹5 crore to ₹8 crore,” he alleged.
“Corruption is rampant in all departments, including agriculture and public works. The tussle is going on between the officials at the Chief Minister Office (CMO) and minister over bribery,” alleged Bommai.
Expressing anguish on the diverting of SCP/TSP funds, Bommai said: “The state government has diverted over ₹11,000 crore SCP/TSP funds to implement guarantees. Siddaramaiah and Minister for Social Welfare Dr HC Mahadevappa had stated that they won’t divert the grants meant for SC/ST.”
“After chairing a high-level committee meeting, they decided to divert over ₹11,000 crore SCP/TSP funds to implement guarantees. This government also made a 7D amendment under SCP/TSP at the Cabinet level. Why did they not bring this in the Assembly?” questioned Bommai.
Taking dig at the Congress’ five guarantees, Bommai pointed out: “The government is thumping its chest claiming that it is giving zero electricity bill to the people, but there will be no power in the state in the coming days.”
“All the four thermal plants are not operating to their full capacity as the government does not have enough funds to purchase coal. The thermal plants are operating at only 40 to 60 percent capacity. In many regions, the people are already complaining about poor electricity supply,” added the former chief minister.
Freedom of Speech and Press is being suppressed:Kateel
BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel alleged that the Congress government was suppressing freedom of speech and freedom of press ever since it came to power in the state and termed it a dictatorial government.
Kateel told reporters: “An emergency kind of environment has been created in the state after the grand old party came to the helm. Freedom of speech and freedom of press are being suppressed by this government.”
ಈ #ATMSarkara ದಲ್ಲಿ
ಭರವಸೆಗೆ ಬರವಿಲ್ಲ, ಗ್ಯಾರಂಟಿಗಳ ಈಡೇರಿಕೆ ಇಲ್ಲ!ರಾಜ್ಯದ ರೈತರ ಅಕ್ಕಿಗೆ ತಿರಸ್ಕಾರ, ಅನ್ನಭಾಗ್ಯ ಯೋಜನೆಗೆ ಕನ್ನ.
ಅಕ್ಕಿ ಬದಲು ಹಣ ಕೊಡ್ತೀವಿ ಎಂದು ಕೈ ಎತ್ತಿದ್ದೆ @siddaramaiah ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಸಾಧನೆಯೇ?
ತುಘಲಕ್ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ದಿನಗಳು ನೂರು, ಸಮಸ್ಯೆಗಳು ಸಾವಿರಾರು!
1/6— Nalinkumar Kateel (@nalinkateel) August 29, 2023
“Fake cases are being registered against those people, including the media, that are questioning this government. The government is also taking action against people who are writing on social media questioning the irregularities,” fumed Kateel.
He alleged that Hindutva workers were being targeted under the Congress government.
“The Siddaramaiah government is doing vendetta politics. The Hindu karyakartas are being targeted by putting fake cases on them. Law and order have completely failed in the state,” Kateel said.
“Development has completely stopped under this government. Even after three months, the government is yet to release funds for the development projects and provide funds for the MLAs. It is not my statement, but their own party legislators have made such statements,” added Kateel.
On the delay in appointing LoPs, Bommai said: “It is not new for the BJP to sit in Opposition. We will manage all the responsibilities that the party entrusts on us. The entire BJP is the Opposition leader.”
He said: “Being the Opposition party, we have released the charge sheet against the government. Our performance was not less even in the Assembly. Thus, all the 66 MLAs are Opposition leaders.”
“There are several reasons for the delay in appointing the Opposition leader. The party high command will comment on this.”
“It may also be noted that in many states there are no Opposition leaders, and even in Lok Sabha there is no Opposition leader. The high command will take decisions at the right time and we are confident that they will decide at the earliest,” added the former chief minister.
On dissent brewing within the BJP, Bommai said: “Even after having 135 MLAs, there is no stability in the Congress. Several MLAs have already lost the trust in this government and it can be seen in their party legislature meeting.”
“They don’t know what will happen to this dissent in future. Hence, they are making efforts to poach some MLAs from the Opposition,” added the former chief minister.
On whether the party has made any effort to address dissent within, Kateel said: “Those who have expressed dissent, I have spoken with them. There is no dissent in the party.”
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