State yours and BJP's stance on guarantee schemes clearly before opposing them, Siddaramaiah to Modi
Bengaluru, Aug 2: Asserting that Karnataka's model of governance is what is needed for the entire country, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to state his and BJP's stance clearly about the guarantee schemes before opposing them.
Drawing attention to certain "freebie schemes" announced by the BJP government at the Centre and in few states ruled by the party, he questioned the Prime Minister about the contradiction in standpoints.
In a series of tweets, the Chief Minister reacted to Modi's statement in Pune on Tuesday in which he accused the ruling Congress in Karnataka of "emptying" state coffers for selfish interests. He had said in Karnataka, where the Congress came to power nearly three months ago after ousting the BJP from office in the recent assembly polls, the Siddaramaiah government has admitted state coffers are empty and there are no funds for development.
The Prime Minister said the Congress managed to come to power in the southern state by making populist announcements, but in the process it has jeopardised the people's future.
"Thanks to Prime Minister @narendramodi for his concern about Karnataka's finances due to the implementation of the guarantee schemes in Karnataka. Mr. Narendra Modi, please make it clear whether this is your personal opinion, the opinion as the Prime Minister of India, or the opinion of your party?" Siddaramaiah said.
"Please state your and your party's stance clearly about the guarantee schemes before opposing them," he urged the Prime Minister, and asked him to direct the Karnataka BJP leaders to publicly oppose Congress' guarantee schemes as well.
"We are ready to face the next Lok Sabha elections with the guarantee schemes as our main agenda," he added.
Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh also hit out at the Prime Minister's statements by claiming that Modi was causing a problem for the smooth implementation of the poll guarantees in Karnataka.
"The cheap politics played by the Prime Minister in creating all kinds of obstacles to implement the 10kg free rice Anna Bhagya Guarantee is well known. The Modi govt cancelled a FCI order for rice procurement by the Karnataka govt when it was ready to pay Rs. 34/kg, while consistently increasing sale of rice at Rs.20/ kg for ethanol production every passing year," Ramesh tweeted.
The Prime Minister and the BJP MPs will have to answer to the people of Karnataka for their "petty politics" over welfare for the poor, he added.
Pointing out that Karnataka BJP leaders are demanding the Congress government to implement all its guarantee schemes immediately, CM Siddaramaiah said former chief minister B S Yediyurappa even made a loud protest on this issue. "What is your opinion on this, Mr. Narendra Modi?"
"BJP, in its manifesto, had announced to give three free gas cylinders and half a liter of milk a day. Is this not a freebie, Mr. Narendra Modi?," he asked.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister has announced the "Ladli-Behena" scheme, where the government will deposit Rs 1,000 per month into the accounts of women beneficiaries, and he has promised to increase it to Rs 3,000, he further pointed out, questioning, "Is this not a free scheme as well? Is the PM-Kisan Samman Yojana, which deposits Rs 6,000 annually into the accounts of farmers, not a freebie as per your definition, Mr. Modi?"
Noting that the Central Government is implementing eight freebie schemes with an estimated budget outlay of Rs 1.25 lakh crore, the Chief Minister questioned "Do these schemes not contradict your own statements, Mr. Modi?"
"The people of Karnataka, who have suffered from inflation and unemployment, have rejected the BJP and their economic mismanagement. We are making the best efforts to fight against the financial crisis, relieve the burden of debt, and ensure social security for the common people. Karnataka's model of governance is what is needed for the entire country," he added.
Thanks to Prime Minister @narendramodi for his concern about Karnataka's finances due to the implementation of the guarantee schemes in Karnataka.
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) August 2, 2023
Mr. Narendra Modi, please make it clear whether this is your personal opinion, the opinion as the Prime Minister of India, or the… pic.twitter.com/SO7dTV6NKT
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US VP JD Vance says Lebanon not part of ceasefire, calls it ‘misunderstanding’
Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”
He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.
His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.
Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.
He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.
“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.
