Badami: Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah said that it is inequitable that the Central Government has failed to release the state’s GST share and flood relief funds when the Karnataka government is reeling under financial crisis.
The Congress leader started his two-day visit to Badami, the constituency that he represents, on Monday. This is his first to Badami since June 4.
Speaking to the reporters, Siddaramaiah said, “Narendra Modi, being the Prime Minister of the country, has failed to visit the flood-hit areas. Instead he preferred to spend a luxurious life at his residence. Though the state had shown a Rs 35,000-crore revenue loss due to the floods in 2019 the Centre failed to sanction sufficient flood relief funds. Even this year, the state witnessed floods but the Centre failed to assist.”
With a deficit in funds, even the development works in the state have been hit. The Chief Minister gone on silent mode as he failed to get the expected financial support from the Central Government. We will raise this issue in the upcoming session, he said.
Responding to the photo showed by Minister C T Ravi where he and fellow Congress leader Zameer Ahmed are seen with suspected drug peddler Sheikh Fazil, Siddaramaiah said, “Thousands of people will take photos with us. This doesn’t mean that we are involved with them or helping them indulge in illegal activities.”
“It is not important that an accused has a photo with us. Having sufficient evidence to prove the allegations is important. The ruling party leaders should have enough evidence before making allegations against Zameer Ahmed. If the saffron cadre wishes to play photo politics, then there are many photos where accused actress Ragini Dwivedi is seen campaigning with BJP leaders, including CM BS Yediyurappa’s son Vijayendra. Does this mean all these leaders are indulging in the drug mafia?” Siddaramaiah asked.
It is the government and police’s job to put an end to the deeply-rooted drug business in the state. The government has our complete support to initiate stringent action against those people political leaders involved in the drug mafia, reiterated Siddaramaiah.
Speaking about Hindi imposition, he said, “We don’t have any objection to learning Hindi, but the Union Government should not impose the language against one’s will. The Supreme Court has permitted the states to provide education in the regional languages. Why then is the Central Government forcing Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states?”
