Pralhad Joshi accuses Siddaramaiah of leading a once economically sound K'taka towards bankruptcy

Bengaluru, June 24 (IANS) Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi has said that Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara himself has now held a mirror to the state's financial bankruptcy, joining the chorus of MLAs.

“There is nothing more shameful than this,” he remarked.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Joshi stated, “In Badami, the Home Minister openly stated that 'Siddaramanna (CM Siddaramaiah) has no money for development', thereby exposing the dire state of Karnataka’s economy. By acknowledging the empty state treasury, he has publicly admitted the government’s financial crisis.

Joshi, slamming the statement, urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to finally accept the failures of his governance.

Joshi accused Siddaramaiah, who once portrayed himself as a financial expert, of leading a once economically sound Karnataka towards bankruptcy.

“From the moment he returned to power as Chief Minister for the second time, he has pushed the state's economy into ruin,” Joshi alleged.

“Karnataka now holds the top spot in corruption,” Joshi claimed.

He said the reality of the state's financial collapse due to unscientific guarantee schemes had already been admitted by the CM’s own economic advisor and the Congress MLA, Basavaraj Rayareddy.

Further, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar's arrogant statement -- ‘We will release the Gruha Lakshmi scheme funds only after revenue is collected’-- has only confirmed the worsening of the state’s financial condition, Joshi added.

Even Energy Minister K.J. George, a close aide of the CM, had admitted that there was no money for development. Subsequently, MLA B.R. Patil exposed the massive corruption in the Housing Department, revealing the misrule of the corrupt Congress government in detail. Yet, CM Siddaramaiah continues to maintain a soft stance towards Housing Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan, Joshi criticised.

Moreover, MLA Raju Kage has gone a step further, saying that funds are not being released for constituency development and that the administrative machinery has completely collapsed. He has even spoken about resigning. Another MLA, N.Y. Gopalakrishna, lamented that “there isn’t even money to build a single drainage system.”

“How many more MLAs need to voice their dissatisfaction before the Congress government’s bankruptcy becomes undeniable?” Union Minister Pralhad Joshi questioned.

Amid the growing embarrassment for the Congress government in Karnataka following statements made by its own senior MLAs, State Home Minister G. Parameshwara, on Tuesday, stirred a fresh controversy by stating that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has no money left as everything has already been given to the people in the form of ration.

Continuing his attack on the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka, senior Congress MLA Raju Kage, who represents the Kagawada Assembly constituency, said on Tuesday that he had raised his issues with the Chief Minister and Deputy CM, but there was no response.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Raju Kage, who had earlier warned that he is ready to resign over the non-issuance of a work order for the past two years, reiterated that he is deeply disheartened by the current state of affairs.

On Monday, MLA Raju Kage had said that despite the release of funds for development activities in his constituency, no work orders had been issued, forcing him to consider quitting the party.

“I might resign from the party,” he said, sparking political controversy.

Congress MLA and Deputy Chairman of the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission, B.R. Patil, alleged that houses are being allotted based on bribes.

--IANS

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