Mandya (Karnataka) [India], July 4 (ANI): Karnataka Leader of Opposition (LoP) R Ashoka on Saturday accused the DK Shivakumar government in the state of delaying Cabinet expansion for political reasons and claimed it has become an “ATM” for the Congress high command.
“There is no Agriculture Minister, and the Cabinet is not complete. Are they waiting for a ‘payment cabinet’? There is no doubt that they have to pay money in Delhi to get Cabinet berths. The DK Shivakumar government has become an ATM for the Delhi high command,” he said.
His remarks come after a BJP delegation visited the KRS Dam in Srirangapatna taluk of Mandya district in the wake of an acute water shortage due to poor rainfall.
Along with Ashoka, former Minister Chhalavadi Narayanaswamy and MLA Srivatsa were also part of the visit. Local BJP leaders also accompanied the delegation.
The team inspected the dam to assess the ground situation and later received details from officials of the KRS Irrigation Corporation.
Speaking to reporters at KRS, Ashoka criticised the Karnataka government for failing to address the drought, alleging it has neglected farmers and water management while focusing on other projects. He said the government should have convened farmer and all-party meetings, announced compensation for affected farmers, and prepared contingency plans amid the rainfall deficit.
“In such a drought situation, the government should have called a meeting of farmers and an all-party meeting. But this government is interested only in floating tenders for garbage and tunnel roads. It has no interest in discussing steps to be taken during a rainfall deficit,” he said.
The BJP leader also alleged that Karnataka is facing a severe water crisis, with the KRS reservoir holding only 6 TMC of water, enough for about two months of drinking water needs. He criticised Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for advising farmers not to cultivate due to water scarcity and accused the government of failing to hold farmer or all-party meetings to address the drought.
“It has been one month since DK Shivakumar became CM. All the dams in the state are empty. The water level in the dams at this time last year was four times higher than what it is now. There are only 6 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic) of water in KRS. We need 3 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic) every month for drinking water. That means it will last only two months. Farmers have sown crops on more than 1 lakh hectares. But the CM is telling them, ‘Don’t grow crops, there is no water.’ During a war, PM Modi asked people not to buy gold, and he criticised him. But shouldn’t he speak to Tamil Nadu now? Last time Stalin was there, now TVK is a Congress partner. This time, sowing has happened on only 5% of the land,” Ashoka said.
“There is already a crisis for drinking water. Should farmers eat groundnuts without growing crops? Those who say ‘don’t grow crops’ should announce compensation. Shouldn’t the government have made alternative plans since the rains failed? They should have assured farmers, ‘We are with you, we will compensate for your losses’,” he added.
Ashoka demanded ₹50,000 per acre as compensation for farmers unable to sow crops and urged the Karnataka government to take immediate measures to tackle the drought and water crisis.
“The government must give ₹50,000 per acre as compensation to farmers who could not sow. Currently, the inflow into the KRS Dam is 900 cusecs, but the outflow is more than the inflow. We don’t know if there is a plan to secretly release water to Tamil Nadu. If the government is alive, it should announce compensation for farmers. Otherwise, let it declare that the government is bankrupt. Our government has not even woken up from sleep. If there is no rain for two more months, how will they handle the situation? The situation is the same in all dams in the state. If the government does not work on a war footing, it will face farmers’ anger. Be careful if this government tries to attack farmers and resort to rowdyism,” he said.
He also alleged a breakdown of law and order in the state, criticised the government’s handling of governance, and claimed he had written to the Election Commission alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and attempts to protect the votes of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
“Law and order have collapsed in the state. When Parameshwara was Home Minister, he used to say, ‘I don’t know’. The current Home Minister knows nothing except RSS. When Priyank Kharge was RDPR Minister, his achievements were zero. Strict action should be taken against anyone found guilty. I have written to the Election Commission,” Ashoka said.
“The SIR process is being conducted illegally. There is an attempt to protect the votes of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Though the rules say the process should be done house-to-house, it is being done in community halls. By saying that guarantee schemes will be cut if voter revision is not done, they are sending a message to Bangladeshi immigrants to retain their votes here,” he added. (ANI)
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