Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Oct 10: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has criticized the 'Padayatra' programmes of the Chief Minister (CM), being conducted across the state, to mop up funds to combat the flood situation, as politically motivated.
Two days after union minister Mallikarjun Kharge asked the CM to desist from criticizing the centre and on a day on which the CM refused to comment on the Centre's decision to dole out relief that is about one third of what has been released to Andhra Pradesh, KPCC president R V Deshpande and working president D K Shivakumar spewed venom at the CM at a press conference held here. They were speaking after flagging off three trucks loaded with relief materials meant for the flood victims, near the KPCC office here on Friday October 9.
"We are not at all opposed to the 'Padayatras' being organized by the CM to collect funds for the flood-affected people of North Karnataka. But we condemn his attitude of conducting the fund collection drive, backed by an eye on political mileage, without taking the opposition parties into confidence. We have not been invited to join the CM in the fund collection programmes, even for the sake of courtesy," they fumed.
"The people have been making generous donations, having been moved by the plight of the suffering people. The CM on the other hand, claims that the people have been extending help wholeheartedly, appreciating his honesty. This statement reeks of foolishness," they added.
"It was wrong on the part of the government-run bodies to have made their donations on the streets. We appreciate the CM's resolve to raise Rs 3,000 crore through the 'Padayatras'. But our genuine concern is that the funds so collected should reach the affected people. The BJP leaders have said that Sonia Gandhi's visit to the flood-affected areas did not yield anything. But, have Lok Sabha opposition leader L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj, who had fought election from Bellary and Venkaiah Naidu, elected to Rajya Sabha from the state, visited these areas?" they questioned.
They tried to negate the allegation that the union government has owned discriminatory attitude in extending grants to the states. They pointed out that the deputy commissioners of the districts have been vested with the natural calamity funds, that have to be utilized first. They alleged that the BJP leaders have been unnecessarily casting aspersions on the union government.
Congress leader V S Ugrappa asked the state government to release full details of the grants released by the central government and its utilization by the state government.