Planes for rebel MLAs, no helicopter for flood-hit people? JDS mocks BSY
Bengaluru: The JD(S) on Thursday hit out at the BJP government in Karnataka on the issue of tackling the flood situation, alleging it could not deploy helicopters to evacuate affected people but had arranged special planes to ferry rebel MLAs to Mumbai.
"You (BJP) could arrange special aeroplane to ferry disgruntled MLAs (of Congress and the JDS) to Mumbai but you could not arrange a helicopter for the poor people dying due to flood," the Janata Dal (Secular) tweeted.
Those who arranged the stay of rebel MLAs in the five-star hotel in Mumbai could not set up even the rice starch centres for the poor people, the party led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda alleged.
"Do you get sadistic pleasure by seeing lakhs of people in distress? Is this why you toppled a perfectly functioning govt? To see people suffer? Shame on you!" the JDS said.
The Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by H D Kumaraswamy collapsed last month after the group of rebel MLAs resigned, reducing the government to a minority.
Thereafter, the BJP staked claim to form the government and B S Yediyurappa was sworn in as Chief Minister on July 26 and his government later also proved its majority.
Nearly 44,000 people have so far been evacuated from flood-hit and rain-affected areas of Karnataka, where the rain fury has left nine people dead, authorities said on Thursday.
The worst-hit was Belagavi district, where six people have lost their lives, while 40,180 people have been evacuated.
Two persons lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Uttara Kannada district, from where 3,088 people have been evacuated till date, and one in Shivamogga, according to official figures.
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Bulk diesel price hike rolled back for Gujarat fishermen: Minister
Gandhinagar (PTI): The latest hike in bulk diesel prices has been withdrawn for Gujarat’s fishermen after the state took up the matter with the Centre, Fisheries Minister Jitu Vaghani said.
The price of premium or higher-grade petrol was increased on Friday by Rs 2 per litre, while the rate of bulk diesel sold to industrial users was hiked by Rs 22.43 a litre, reflecting the spike in global oil prices amid the West Asia conflict.
Vaghani on Saturday said the Gujarat government had urged the Centre to offer relief to the fisheries sector by considering a “special exception” and withdrawing the increase of Rs 22.43 per litre in the price of bulk diesel used in fishermen’s boats.
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The state urged that fishermen be considered on par with retail customers, he said.
“Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre has accepted this reasonable representation of the fishermen of Gujarat. The Centre has instructed Bharat Petroleum to withdraw the increase of Rs 22.43 in the price of diesel used in fishermen’s boats, an official release said.
“So, the fishermen of the state will now receive diesel at the previously decided concessional rate,” it added.
The Gujarat government had signed a pact with the public sector undertaking Bharat Petroleum to ensure diesel for fishermen at a discounted price. However, the PSU recently increased the diesel price for fishermen by Rs 22.43 per litre.
“A representation was made to Vaghani, MLAs, local leaders and various fisheries organisations. Considering the seriousness of the matter, Vaghani, under the guidance of the chief minister, made a representation to the Centre to intervene in the matter,” the release said.
