BJP and JD(S) slam Siddaramaiah for 'regressive' budget
Bengaluru: The opposition BJP and its ally JD(S) on Friday walked out of the Karnataka Assembly and staged a demonstration near the Mahatma Gandhi statue against the 'anti-farmer' and 'anti-women' budget of the Congress government.
They raised slogans outside the Assembly Hall against the budget saying that it shows the state's coffers are empty.
They also sang a song in chorus saying, ''Enilla, Enilla, Siddaramaiahana budgetinalli Enilla.'' (There is nothing in Siddaramaiah's budget).
Speaking to reporters, the BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said the budget tabled by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who holds the Finance portfolio, is anti-farmer. It has nothing for the development of the state and that it will take the state 20 years back, he added.
''If I have to say something in one sentence then, Siddaramaiah has wasted his time to escape from his responsibility and to cover up his failures. He has ruined the sanctity of the budget,'' Vijayendra said.
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The BJP state chief alleged that the budget has not given a single rupee to North Karnataka.
Stating that the farmers were in distress due to acute drought in the state, Vijayendra said, ''They (farmers) were expecting some relief from the budget but it did not happen. It will not help women as well.'' Pointing to the failures, the Shikaripura MLA said Siddaramaiah had spoken about weavers in the party manifesto but he did not even mention them in his budget, let alone announcing any project for them.
The Congress had promised to increase the monthly pay of Anganwadi workers and assistants in the manifesto, which was also not mentioned in the budget, he charged.
''This budget has disappointed everyone including the SC/ST communities. It will not complement the development of the state. Despite such a severe drought, the Chief Minister did not announce any loan waiver. It will not be wrong to call it a black day as it did not benefit any section of the society,'' Vijayendra said.
Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy who also accompanied the BJP legislators, said, ''Siddaramaiah has laid the foundation for the 'Vinashakaala' (destructive time) of Karnataka through this budget. He has vented his anger against the seven crore people (of the state).'' Opposition Leader in the Assembly R Ashoka said Karnataka will become ''bankrupt like Pakistan'' with this budget.
However, former minister and BJP MLA S T Somashekar, who is cozying up with the Congress leaders, hailed the budget for its provisions for Bengaluru.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
