K'taka Home Minister Parameshwara says his statement was misunderstood, no dearth of funds in state
Bengaluru, Jun 24 (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday clarified that there is no shortage of funds in the state government for any reason, and that his earlier statement has been misunderstood.
The senior Congress leader was clarifying the statement he made on Monday while addressing a gathering at Badami in Bagalkote district, where he had said that the state government doesn't have money. His comments were picked up by the media, and the opposition BJP too used it to target the government, alleging that the financial condition of the state has deteriorated.
"I have not said like that, who said there is no money? I have defended the government, saying that we have presented a record budget....as someone said things jokingly during the speech, I reacted in a similar fashion, that's all," Parameshwara told reporters here on Tuesday, when questioned about his statement.
Reiterating that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has presented a Rs 4.09 lakh crore budget, he said, "I have said that there is no shortage of funds. Rs 22,000 crore has been allocated for irrigation in the budget. Allocations have been made for the five guarantee schemes in the budget, and instructions have been made to prepare an action plan for Rs 50 crore in every constituency. I said all of this in my address. When someone said something jokingly, I might have reacted."
"I'm now saying officially that there is no financial distress in our government. I'm saying it very clearly. Sometimes, there may be a delay in the release of funds, as DPR and estimates have to be prepared before releasing money. There may be some delay in that; other than that, there is nothing else. There is no shortage of funds in our government for any reason. I'm making it clear. If anyone has misunderstood my statement, I'm correcting that," he added.
The Home Minister while addressing a gathering in Badami on Monday had suggested local MLA Bheemasen B Chimmanakatti to prepare a Rs 1,000 crore project for the development of the Badami town, which is of historical and archaeological importance, and send it to the centre, as the state doesn't have money.
"Prepare the project (for Badami's development) and send it to the Centre, we don't have money, Siddaramaiah doesn't have money now. We have given you (people) in the form of rice, pulses, oil," he had said.
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Unemployment is biggest problem faced by youth, it is directly linked to 'vote chori': Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that as long as elections are "stolen", unemployment and corruption will continue to rise, and asserted that young people will no longer tolerate "job theft" and "vote theft".
In a post on X in Hindi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said unemployment is the biggest problem facing youth in India and it is directly linked to "vote chori".
When a government wins public trust and comes to power, its first duty is to provide employment and opportunities to the youth, he said.
"But the BJP doesn't win elections honestly -- they stay in power by stealing votes and controlling institutions," Gandhi alleged.
That's why unemployment has reached a 45-year high, he said.
"That's why jobs are declining, recruitment processes have collapsed, and the future of youth is being jeopardised. That's why every exam paper leak and every recruitment is linked to stories of corruption," Gandhi said.
भारत में युवाओं की सबसे बड़ी समस्या बेरोज़गारी है - और इसका सीधा रिश्ता वोट चोरी से है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 23, 2025
जब कोई सरकार जनता का विश्वास जीतकर सत्ता में आती है, तो उसका पहला कर्तव्य होता है युवाओं को रोज़गार और अवसर देना।
लेकिन BJP चुनाव ईमानदारी से नहीं जीतती - वो वोट चोरी और संस्थाओं को कैद कर… pic.twitter.com/DlDmdYOl5i
"The country's youth work hard, dream, and fight for their future. But (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is solely focused on his PR, getting celebrities to sing praises for him, and billionaire profits. It has become the government's identity to shatter the hopes of the youth and leave them frustrated," the former Congress chief said.
"Now, the situation is changing. India's youth understand that the real fight isn't just for jobs, but against vote theft. Because as long as elections are stolen, unemployment and corruption will continue to rise," he said.
Young people will no longer tolerate "job theft" or "vote theft", Gandhi asserted.
"The ultimate patriotism now lies in freeing India from unemployment and vote theft," he said.
Gandhi also shared a split screen video montage of police lathi-charging protesting students seeking jobs on one half of the screen and Prime Minister Modi planting saplings, feeding peacocks and practising Yoga on the other half of the screen.
