100 days Bommai administration people have responded by defeating BJP in CM's district:DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Nov 4: On a day when the Basavaraj Bommai-led government completed hundred days in office, Congress Karnataka president D K Shivakumar on Thursday said people in the Chief Minister's home district Haveri have responded to his administration's functioning, by defeating the ruling BJP in the recent Hangal bypolls.
"Let him (Bommai) give good advertisement for the good administration and work done, but the people of his district have given an answer. We are not disputing his achievement or questioning his management, we are not making any allegations. We are happy that his party has decided to go for election (in 2023) under his leadership," Shivakumar quipped in response to a question on the Bommai government's hundred days in office.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "whether Bommai or Yediyurappa is the Chief Minister, it doesn't matter. For us, it is the BJP government and its policies."
Shivakumar was referring to BJP's loss in the Hangal bypolls, which is also seen as a "setback" to Chief Minister Bommai, as it is the neighbouring constituency to his Shiggaon assembly segment in Haveri district, where he had extensively campaigned.
Chief Minister Bommai earlier today had said that he is satisfied with the decisions taken so far in taking the administration in the right direction, and the work is on towards inclusive economic progress.
Ending months of speculation about the change of guard in the state, Bommai on July 28 had taken over as the new Chief Minister of Karnataka, from BJP stalwart B S Yediyurappa, who stepped down from the coveted post, coinciding with his government completing two years in office.
Hitting out at the BJP for showcasing reduction in petrol and diesel prices as Deepavali gift, Shivakumar said, it is nothing but "pickpocketing" that was happening every day, has been stopped.
"When the price is reduced from Rs 10 to Rs 5 it can be called a gift, not taking Rs 45 and giving back Rs 7 or 10, it cannot be called a gift. If you are getting Rs 10,000 or Rs 20,000 salary and if you are given Rs 25,000 it can be called bonus or gift, not first reducing salary to Rs 15,000 and then increasing Rs 5,000. Can it be called a gift?" he asked.
Comparing fuel prices under various governments, the KPCC chief said, "every day the government is pickpocketing from every pocket, whether you are commuting by car or a two wheeler."
He also claimed that the central and state government's decision to slash prices of petrol and diesel was following a message from the people to them, in the bypolls held in various parts of the country.
ಹಾನಗಲ್ ಉಪ ಚುನಾವಣೆ ಫಲಿತಾಂಶದ ಫಲವಾಗಿ ಪೆಟ್ರೋಲ್ ಡೀಸೆಲ್ ಬೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾರೀ ಇಳಿಕೆಯಾಗಿದೆ. ಇನ್ನೂ ಬೆಲೆ ಇಳಿಕೆಯಾಗಬೇಕಾದ ಪದಾರ್ಥಗಳು ಬಹಳಷ್ಟಿವೆ. ಗ್ಯಾಸ್, ಅಡುಗೆ ಎಣ್ಣೆ, ದಿನಸಿ ಇತ್ಯಾದಿ. ಜನರು ಬಿಜೆಪಿಗೆ ತಕ್ಕ ಉತ್ತರ ಕೊಡುವ ದಿನಗಳು ಹತ್ತಿರ ಬರ್ತಿವೆ.
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) November 4, 2021
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.
Karnataka Assembly passes bill on Palace Grounds amid opposition protest
Bengaluru, Mar 6 (PTI): The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, reaffirming state ownership over 472 acres and 16 guntas of land here, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
During the discussion, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state government would have to provide Rs 200 crore worth of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for each acre of land, which means that for 15 acres, Rs 3,000 crore worth of TDR would be issued.
“If we accept it, then this 2-km stretch of road will become the costliest road in the world. If we accept it then how are we going to develop the city in later stages? How will you carry out development works?” asked Patil.
He also pointed out that this question was raised not only under the Congress government but also during the previous BJP regime.
However, the BJP-led cabinet has opposed the project.
ALSO READ: Budget session: Law Min. HK Patil introduces Microfinance bill in Karnataka assembly
“Suppose we agree to it then, what will be the valuation of the 472 acres? It will be lakhs and lakhs of crores of rupees. Can we accept?” Patil wondered.
The Minister said the government had previously exercised its executive powers to issue an ordinance, which was approved by the Governor. Now the government is bringing a bill with two amendments.
“In this bill, we have made provisions either to develop or drop the road development work,” Patil explained.
However, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and BJP MLA Arvind Bellad opposed the move, alleging that the government was targetting Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysuru royal family, and the BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency out of political vendetta.
“We talk of 472 acres of Mysuru Maharaja but here there are many Maharajas who too own 400 acres, 500 acres and thousands of acres of land, which is known to everyone,” Bellad said.
He slammed the Congress government, saying political power should not be misused for personal vendetta.
“Why (the then Deputy Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah brought the law in 1996 pertaining to the Bangalore Palace? Why are you setting eyes on the Bangalore Palace?” he asked.
Vijayendra charged that Wadiyar won the election on BJP ticket so the state government realised that it should acquire it.
“This bill has been brought for political vengeance. We are not discussing whether Rs 3,000 crore is exorbitant or not but the moment Yaduveer became MP, the state government woke up. You should be ashamed. This house should not be used for political vendetta,” he said.
Intervening, Minister Priyank Kharge said Vijayendra should not have raised it because the intention behind building the road was noble.
According to him, the BJP too had the same plan when it was in power.
He sought to know whether thousands of crores of rupees be spent on a road which should have cost significantly less.
In response, BJP MLA B A Basavaraj (Byrathi) said issuing TDR will not be a burden on the state government and appealed to the ruling Congress to reconsider its stance.
Minister Ramalinga Reddy too explained that the Karnataka government acquired the entire land way back in 1996.
The Mysuru royal family went to the High Court, which gave ruling in favour of the state government. The royal family then approached the Supreme Court, where the case is still going on, the Minister pointed out.
“The final judgment is pending in the SC to decide whether the acquisition was right or wrong. If the SC says it’s the royal family’s property then let it be so. If the order is in the state government’s favour then we can take a decision. The bill is only about it,” Reddy explained.
Speaker U T Khader then called for a voice vote and the bill was passed by the Assembly amidst opposition BJP’s discontent.
