CM Siddaramaiah rubbishes allegation of lack of funds as 'politically motivated'
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday rubbished the BJP allegation of lack of funds to appoint boards and corporations, as "politically motivated".
"The BJP is making false, politically motivated allegations," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
The BJP state chief B Y Vijayendra on Thursday alleged the Congress government of misappropriating funds earmarked for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and cheated them. It also led to a situation where the pain, suffering, sorrow and grievances of these communities have not been addressed since Congress came to power, he said.
The statement highlights the allegedly "illegal transfer" of Rs 87 crore fund of the Karnataka State Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation to various bank accounts and individuals ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
The Shikaripura MLA said in a post on 'X' that the state's Congress government has so far failed to appoint a chairperson for the Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, making it ineffective.
According to Vijayendra, a public interest litigation has been filed in the High Court challenging the delay in appointing the chairpersons of the Commissions, and the High Court has issued a notice to the government.
"It is very unfortunate that the Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, which is supposed to be the voice of the oppressed and report on the welfare of the Scheduled Communities, has been inactive since this government came to power," he charged.
Replying to a question on intra party squabble in the congress over the subject of change in Chief Minister's post, Siddaramaiah said the party high command's decision will be final.
In the last two days, supporters of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar as well as Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi raised pitch for Chief Ministerial post to their leaders.
Regarding skipping the Davos World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, Siddaramaiah said he stayed back for budget preparation. He pointed out that he did not go there in 2024 as well.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
