Daijiworld Media Network – Hosapete
Hosapete, May 21: Accusing the Central government of repeatedly meting out injustice to Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday asserted that despite such setbacks, the Congress government has successfully fulfilled 142 poll promises within just two years, including the much-talked-about five guarantees. He added that the remaining promises will be implemented over the next three years.
Addressing a massive gathering at the ‘Samarpane Sankalpa’ rally organised in Hosapete, Vijayanagar district, to mark the second anniversary of the Congress government, Siddaramaiah took a direct swipe at the BJP. “In my first term as CM, we had made 165 promises, out of which 158 were fulfilled. We also introduced 30 new schemes which were not part of the original manifesto. Despite this, why is BJP roaming around spreading lies when it has failed to deliver on its own promises?” he questioned.
“Our people are our masters. We have honoured the promises we made to them. As long as we have their blessings, we are not afraid of the mountain of lies that the BJP is trying to build,” Siddaramaiah added.
Alleges fiscal injustice by Centre
Hitting out at the BJP-led union government, Siddaramaiah claimed Karnataka has been facing fiscal injustice year after year. “Though we contribute Rs 4.5 lac crore in taxes every year, we get back only 14 paise per rupee. This undermines the federal structure of the country,” he said.
He further alleged that the Centre has not released the full share of funds for centrally sponsored schemes. “The state has contributed its share for these schemes, but the Union BJP government has withheld Karnataka’s due,” he claimed.
Siddaramaiah also highlighted the unfulfilled promises of the Union government, especially in the case of the Bhadra Upper Bank Project. “In the 15th Finance Commission, Karnataka has been discriminated against. The Centre had promised Rs 5,300 crore for the Bhadra project and even announced it as a national project, but not a single rupee has been released,” he said.
‘Karnataka is a garden of communal harmony’
Calling Karnataka a ‘garden of communal harmony,’ the CM said, “Our state treats all communities with respect. We believe in equality under the Constitution and strive to maintain harmony across all sections.”
He thanked the people of Karnataka for their overwhelming support during the 2023 Assembly polls. “Seven crore Kannadigas placed their faith in us, gave us a thumping majority, and today we complete two years. In these two years, along with implementing development and guarantee schemes, we have ensured social justice and worked sincerely to make Karnataka a land of peace and equality,” he said.
He listed out the key guarantee schemes that have benefited crores of people across the state. “Under the Griha Lakshmi scheme, we are transferring Rs 2,000 to 1.22 crore women heads of families. Over 1.3 crore households benefit from the Gruha Jyothi free electricity scheme. Women across Karnataka travel for free under the Shakti scheme. We've also fulfilled our guarantees of Anna Bhagya and Yuva Nidhi,” he added.
BJP never came to power on its own, says CM
Targeting the BJP, Siddaramaiah said the party has never come to power in Karnataka on its own strength. “Even now, it has allied with the JD(S). The BJP has never won a clear mandate from the people. The only time they came to power was through ‘Operation Kamala’ by toppling elected governments,” he alleged.
40% commission allegations proven
Siddaramaiah also reiterated the corruption allegations against the previous BJP government, referring to the infamous 40% commission charge. “We fought against this corruption. After coming to power, we set up a committee under Justice Nagamohan Das to probe the charges. The report has confirmed the 40% commission allegation,” the CM stated.