Gadag, June 18 (IANS): The asset monetisation scheme of the Congress government in Karnataka is aimed at benefiting real estate groups, former Chief Minister and BJP MP from Gadag, Basavaraj Bommai, alleged on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters here, Bommai said, "The Congress government is continuously burdening the poor and the common people. Last year, it increased stamp duty on property registration, motor vehicle tax, and milk and liquor prices. Recently, it hiked the prices of petrol and diesel which directly impacts the poor.

He also claimed that the Congress, which won the elections in the name of the poor, has betrayed them.

"Now, by planning to monetise assets, the Congress government has shown that it is completely bankrupt. When a family is in financial distress, it sells ancestral property as a last resort. Similarly, this government has reached its final stage.

"The government's plan to sell and monetise state assets is proof of the state's financial degradation. No previous government took such steps," the BJP MP said.

"No matter what the Chief Minister claims, it is impossible to hide the state's financial condition. Even in such a situation, the Congress government is betraying the state and its people by moving forward with such deals. A mass movement by the BJP against this is both necessary and inevitable," Bommai said.

He also claimed that the state government has already borrowed Rs 1.05 lakh crore and imposed a new tax burden of around Rs 20,000 crore on the poor people of the state.

"CM Siddaramaiah, who claims to be a financial expert having presented 15 budgets, has two economic advisors. But they are worth nothing," he said.