From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Belagavi, Dec 27: The State Government was put in an embarrassing position when Congress Opposition Leader in the Assembly Siddaramaiah attacked Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for releasing funds for the development of assembly constituencies in the name of the defeated candidate of Shringeri constituency.
Addressing the Belagavi session of the State Assembly, the former Chief Minister lambasted the government for releasing Rs 100 crore for the incumbent Congress MLA Raju Gowda and another Rs 100 crore in the name of defeated BJP candidate Jeevaraj of the Shringeri constituency in Chikkamagaluru district.
Strongly supporting the objection raised by Raju Gowda during the discussion in the House, the Congress leader asked how the government could allot and release funds for the development of the assembly constituency merely because he belonged to the ruling BJP.
“Under which rules is done? Is the defeated candidate attends the assembly and passes budgetary grants or participates in discussions,’’ he asked and wondered how the government could compel the people to get works done in the constituency by approaching the defeated candidate.
Siddaramaiah said the government should immediately cancel the order and withdraw the amount sanctioned as it was against parliamentary norms and conventions and democratic principles. This is the vindictive and anti-opposition attitude of the ruling BJP, he said.
The former Chief Minister asked the government not to justify such an anti-democratic practice by stating that such practice has happened in the past. “Did I sanction funds for assembly constituency development in the name of any defeated candidate during my tenure,’’ he asked and directly asked the Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri as to whether he had sanctioned funds in the name of Bheemanna Naik in his constituency.
Siddaramaiah said the government should not insist and prestige and immediately withdraw the order and cancel the allotment of the funds in the name of the defeated constituency. ``There is no point in referring the matter to the privilege committee,’’ he said urging the Speaker to protect the interests and dignity of the members.
“The defeated candidate is free to contest again and get elected to serve the people. But a government should not set such bad precedents,’’ he said asking the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy to immediately announce withdrawal of the order and announce that such practice will never be repeated.
Include Kadugollas in ST list
Siddaramaiah strongly supported the demand for including the Kadugolla community in the list of Scheduled Tribes and urged the government to do justice to the community.
The former Chief Minister said his government had recommended Kadugollas to be included to the ST list and sent the recommendation to the Centre in 2014. But there has been no progress on the issue during the last 8 years of BJP rule under Prime Minister Narendra Modi regime.
He said the previous Congress government had done its homework and had formed a committee headed by Annapoornamma to study the condition of Kadugollas in 2010 and after following all formalities, the proposal was sent to the Centre.
“Kadugollas by virtue of their culture, life-style have all the requirements of tribal community,’’ he said urging the Bommai government not to give lame excuses saying the government has been following or furnished all the information asked for.
Siddaramaiah later called on the advocates protesting in front of the Belagavi session demanding that the government must bring the legislation for protection of advocates by promulgating an ordinance, and promised to take up the issue in the House with the government.