BJP walks out of Karnataka Assembly over state govt ad criticising Centre’s VB-G RAM G Act
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday witnessed uproar over a state government advertisement published in newspapers opposing the Centre’s VB-G RAM G Act, with the opposition BJP accusing the Siddaramaiah-led government of misusing taxpayers’ money for "false propaganda".
The House was briefly adjourned amid loud protests, even as the government defended the advertisement.
BJP members also staged a walkout, objecting to the state government’s criticism of the Centre and its decision to repeal the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and replace it with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act.
The opposition further accused the government of "disrespecting" Mahatma Gandhi, alleging that the advertisement issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department featured caricatures of Gandhi in conversation with a man named Sangappa—depicted wearing a white shirt and khaki trousers, which the BJP claimed resembled an RSS uniform—highlighting alleged shortcomings of the Centre’s scheme compared to the earlier legislation.
Raising the issue in the Assembly, senior BJP MLA Suresh Kumar said, "There is a front-page advertisement in all newspapers. The government functions using taxpayers’ money."
"If the Congress party had issued an advertisement against the central government’s Act, that would have been acceptable. But such an advertisement issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department against the VB-G RAM G Act is not right," he added.
"This is a clear loot of taxpayers’ money by the government for false propaganda and vendetta politics," he alleged.
Defending the advertisement, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said the BJP appeared to suggest that the state government should accept everything the central government says "with folded hands and remain silent."
He maintained that the advertisement did not violate any law. "Let the BJP point out which law has been violated," Priyank said.
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Trump says suspect was armed with multiple weapons at WH correspondents' dinner
Washington (PTI): President Donald Trump is addressing reporters at the White House after he and other top leaders of the United States were evacuated from an annual dinner of White House correspondents on Saturday night after a shooting incident outside the ballroom.
Trump said the suspect was armed with multiple weapons before stopped by Secret Service. One officer was shot, but he was protected by a bulletproof vest.
“He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun, and the vest did the job,” Trump said.
