From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Mysuru, Apr 2: Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is visiting Bandipur to participate in the Golden Jubilee of Project Tiger on April 9 and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Congress leader sarcastically commented that that he hoped double-engine BJP rule the Bandipur forest is not handed over to Adanis and Ambanis.

“I have nothing against the Prime Minister’s visit to Bandipur,” he said and asked ``how Modi is allowed to participate in an official government programme, when the model code of conduct for elections is enforced in the State.’’

Speaking to media persons in Mysuru on Sunday, Siddaramaiah wanted to know how election authorities the Prime Minister is permitted to participate in an official government programme.

“If the Prime Minister, Chief Minister or Ministers participate in an official programme when the model code of conduct is in operation, it becomes a violation. Are there separate rules and norms for the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, Ministers or MLAs to participate in an official programme when the model code of conduct is in operation. Has the Election Commission given the permission,” he asked.

On Modi’s visit to Bandipur, Siddaramaiah sarcastically remarked that the Central and State governments under BJP are showing concern over the tigers, elephants, deers and trees but when the environmentalists took out a peaceful protest against the felling of tees along the Sankey Tank Road, the BJP governments lodged criminal cases against the people. ``Is this the concern for trees and environment and wild life,’’ he asked lashing out at the double-speak.

'Will go to Varuna just once to file papers'

Asked about the BJP’s plans to field a strong candidate against him Varuna assembly constituency by asking Lingayat strongman B S Yediyurappa’s son Vijayendra and tie him down in the constituency, Siddaramaiah said: “I am not worried about who will be my opponent.”

“It is the people who elect or defeat a candidate. I will go to file my nomination papers once to Varuna and concentrate on other constituencies. My son, Dr Yatindra is the sitting MLA of Varuna and he will campaign for me along with the party leaders,’’ he said.

Siddaramaiah said it is party high command’s decision on whether he will contest from Kolar too. “I will abide by the decision,” he said.

He said the party candidates for Chamaraj and Chamundeshwari will be decided in a day or two as the Central Election Committee is meeting on Tuesday, when these and the second list of candidates will be finalized.

The Congress leader attacked the Bommai regime for politically misusing the reservation issue for its electoral gains and participated in the dharna organized by the Congress party in Mysuru in which AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, former ministers Z A Zameer Ahmed Khan, Dr H C Mahadevappa, Tanver Sait and others participated.

Siddaramaiah accused the government for hurriedly revising the reservation policy without doing proper homework or scientific basis. ``If the BJP leaders were so keen on social justice, what were they doing in the four years of its rule instead acting just before the elections,’’ he asked.

He criticised the double-engine BJP rule in the State and Centre for the gross injustice to Karnataka and alleged that the Narendra Modi regime and Basavaraj Bommai rule have wasted hundreds of crores of rupees on media advertisements during the last six months and have harmed the State by not releasing the funds for Centrally sponsored schemes.

“This double engine rule wants to fool people by promising to turn Karnataka into a paradise by using media advertisements and hollow speeches,’’ he said in Mysuru and attacked Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of uttering lies to the people and thereby lowering their own dignity.

Siddaramaiah said the ‘’real truth is far from what Modi, Bommai or other BJP leaders claim’’ and said both the Union and State governments had claimed that they will be spending Rs 47,557 crore on Centrally sponsored schemes, which includes Rs 9,041 crore. “But the actual amount spent at the end of financial year 2022-23 as on March 31 is barely Rs 23,735 crore or a performance of just 49.9%.”

He said the people of Karnataka are contributing over Rs 4.75 lac crore in the form of taxes and cess. In last year’s budget the promised Central allocation for centrally sponsored schemes was Rs 21,435 crore and the actual amount released as on March 31 is Rs 13,339 crore.

The former chief minister said during the Manmohan Singh led UPA regime, the Union government was contributing 75% of the amount as grants with the State sharing 25%, which was the reason for terming the programmes as centrally sponsored.

“But after Modi rule, the Central grants were reduced to 45% and the States had to bear 55%. Despite this injustice, Bommai or the 26 BJP MPs from the State are silent. Should the people tolerate this injustice,’’ he asked.

Siddaramaiah said Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shobha Karandlaje and Union minister of state for Social Welfare A Narayanaswamy, both of whom hail from the State, shoulder the responsibility of releasing grants to the centrally sponsored schemes in their respective departments.