Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Jul 1: Leader of the opposition in the assembly, Siddaramaiah, has urged the assembly speaker to intervene to sort out the imbroglio arising out of a government circular that has barred the leaders of the opposition from convening meetings of the government officials to review progress of different departments.

"The government has insulted the post of the opposition leader, which is a constitutional position, by its controversial circular. If the circular is not immediately withdrawn, we will have to fight it out to its logical end," he thundered at a press conference held here on Tuesday June 30.

He advised Chief Minister Yeddyurappa to recall the statements he had made and speeches he had delivered, when he himself was the opposition leader. If he can not, let him get the details from either MP D B Chandre Gowda or minister Katta Subrahmanya Naidu. If he had not convened the meetings of officials when he was in that position, it proves that he did not discharge his responsibilities properly, he said sarcastically.

Siddaramaiah insisted that the post of the opposition leader is vested with powers to review implementation of government programmes including the budgetary allocations. "The opposition leader has the responsibility to point out lacunae in the implementation of all the programmes. For that purpose, he has to tour the state and get information. If the officials do not provide information sought for, what is the purpose of undertaking such tours?" he questioned, holding the circular issued by the government as unconstitutional.