From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jul 24: Scenes of pandemonium were witnessed in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Friday when an angry chief minister Siddaramaiah threw the budget book in a fit of rage against the Centre’s slashing of funds to various projects in the State even while claiming that the 14th Finance Commission had devolved more funds to the States.
The treasury benches and the opposition BJP members were locked in a verbal brawl on the floor of the house at the Narendra Modi-led BJP government’s decision to deprive the State of substantial grants under various Central schemes, which had made a mockery of the devolution of funds to the State by the 14th Finance Commission.
When the BJP members led by Opposition leader and former chief minister JagadishShettar contended that the Modi regime had been more than generous to the State, the chief minister challenged the BJP leader to prove his point and claimed that he was ready for a debate.
The angry exchange of words between the ruling Congress party members and the Opposition BJP members provoked the chief minister during the course of his reply to the debate on the demands for grants pertaining to the departments held by him to such an extent that he hurled the budget book, which led to the BJP members to protest by trooping into the well of the house to stage a dharna.
The slogan-shouting between the ruling and opposition party members led to such ugly scenes that the chief minister was prevented from completing his reply and had to abruptly end it even as Siddaramaiah said the curtailment of Central grants was mainly responsible for the State Government’s inability to implement the approved annual plan size for the year 2014-15.
While the chief minister led the attack of the ruling party, leader of the Shettar
Claimed that Modi government had been generous to the State. The chief minister said the State was facing a deficit of Rs 1,987 crore from the Central allocation due to reduction in central share to various projects by Rs 4,690 crore and wondered if it was BJP’s "generosity" to the State.
This angered the BJP members, who disputed the claims of the chief minister.
While C T Ravi demanded that he should be given opportunity to clarify on the Central allocation, Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa said he would allow him to make his point after the completion of Siddaramaih’s reply.
Initially, Ravi agreed for the Speaker’s suggestion but when the chief minister again referred to the decrease in central allocation, the BJP member insisted on an immediate opportunity to rebut the claim.
The Chief Minister took exception to the BJP member’s action of speaking on behalf of the Centre and accused the BJP of being more concerned more about the party than the State.
Enraged at the chief minister’s accusation, Shettar wondered why the chief minister skipped the meeting on Neeti Ayog if he was really concerned about the State.
As tempers rose between the treasury benches and opposition members, Siddaramaiah challenged the BJP to move a privilege motion against him if they thought that he was giving false information.
The BJP countered this by urging him to bring out a white paper on the status of central taxes.
The Chief Minister also accused the BJP of being anti-farmer and anti-poor.
Amidst this, the BJP members trooped into the well of the House and staged a dharna.
As the shouting and noisy scenes created a bedlam, Siddaramaiah abruptly wound up his reply.
However, the House also adopted the Appropriation Bill, cleared the supplementary estimates and also allowed tabling of the Lokayukta (Amendment Bill) amidst protest before getting adjourned for the lunch.
Meanwhile, Shettar told reporters outside the house that the party would move a breach of privilege motion against the chief minister in the next session.
Shettar maintained that despite reduction of allocation in several projects, the State had still get an additional funds of Rs. 5,446 crore and accused Siddaramaiah of misleading the House.