Bengaluru, Jul 18 (IANS): The BJP in Karnataka on Thursday warned the Siddaramiah-led Congress government that it would face the wrath of Kannadigas if it failed to present the bill on job reservation for locals in the current Assembly session.
“The bill reserving jobs for Kannadigas, which had brought a ray of hope to millions of unemployed in rural areas who are eligible but deprived of job opportunities, should be presented in the current session itself, or be prepared to face the wrath of Kannadigas,” BJP's state chief B.Y. Vijayendra posted.
Vijayendra further warned, “If the Congress government and the Chief Minister, who are currently shaken by the tribal welfare board scam and MUDA scam, have halted the Kannada people-friendly bill as a conspiracy to divert discussion and investigation of the scams and distract the public, the people of the state will never forgive the Congress.”
“The 'big hand' in Delhi, which is afraid of cracks forming in the INDI Alliance, must have tied the hands of the Chief Minister. Otherwise, how is it possible to take a cowardly decision to sideline the bill that would make the lives of Kannadigas better?” Vijayendra stated.
“Why was the bill to provide jobs to Kannadigas introduced? Why was it withheld? Why do you want to play with the lives of Kannadigas? Did you insult Kannadigas?” Vijayendra questioned.
“On behalf of all the people of Karnataka, I condemn the cowardly decision of the Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, which has insulted Kannada, Kannadigas, and Karnataka by suddenly halting the bill to provide jobs to Kannadigas,” the state BJP chief lashed out.
"Considering everyone who learns Kannada and lives in this land as Kannadigas, the government had just taken a step to uphold the demand for many days by Kannada activists to protect the job rights of the children of this land. Why did they suddenly withdraw it within a day?" Vijayendra questioned.
"Chief Minister's cowardly decision to not present the bill for now, after three 'U-turns' on his ‘X’ account, seems to have been influenced by anti-Karnataka forces that have undermined the state's self-respect, the pride of Kannadigas, and Kannada identity," he said.
"The ministers and Congress leaders who proudly spoke about the bill in the media just a short time ago have now lost the moral right to speak before the Kannada people after withdrawing the historic bill," he criticised.