Bengaluru, Oct 21 (IANS): As floods caused extensive damage in the state, senior BJP leader and Opposition leader in the Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka demanded that the Congress government immediately convene a meeting and release Rs 5,000 crore.
He also urged the government to allocate Rs 1,000 crore specifically for relief operations in Bengaluru.
Ashoka made the statement after inspecting rain damage situation near Silk Board Junction in Bengaluru on Monday.
He stated that the state government is facing a financial crisis. Coffee crops in the hilly regions are being destroyed, rice fields are submerged, and onions are rotting.
Ashoka criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for "sleeping like Kumbhakarna" and urged him to conduct a meeting with senior officials to assess the ‘huge’ losses.
He noted that no meeting regarding floods has been held in the past month. The government should convene a meeting and release at least Rs 5,000 crore, particularly Rs 1,000 crore for Bengaluru, he emphasised.
Ashoka added that the people of Bengaluru are suffering from the "sins of the 16-month Congress government."
He pointed out that the government has not cleaned the silt from the stormwater drains, making Bengaluru infamous as a city prone to flooding.
The BJP leader questioned how much work has been done to clear silt by the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and ministers in one and a half years, stating that during the BJP government, all preparations were made ahead of the monsoon season.
He mentioned that the roads in Bengaluru are completely damaged and acknowledged that the treasury is empty. Therefore, he urged the release of at least Rs 500 crore, or else contractors will not come forward.
The Manayata Tech Park in Bengaluru has now turned into a flooded park. Flooding occurs daily at Silk Board, he slammed
He criticised the Chief Minister for claiming to review the situation every 15 days, yet nothing has been done for six months.
He remarked that Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar inspected the situation at night but reported no issues.
Regarding the Channapatna by-election, he mentioned that the NDA will select a candidate soon after discussions.
He also condemned Minister Byrathi Suresh for making derogatory comments against Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, stating that such behaviour is inappropriate and reflects poorly on political decorum. He urged careful communication, noting that it undermines the dignity of the ministerial position.