BENGALURU: Congress and JDS legilators in the Legislative Council on Friday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not releasing flood-relief funds to Karnataka despite the state facing severe damage in the deluge. Congress members said Karnataka witnessed the disaster in August wherein 2.5 lakh houses, thousands of bridges and roads got damaged and lakhs of people were evacuated due to the heavy rains, but there has not been a word from the PM or the Union government.
Congress MLC Bose Raju said it has been more than 60 days since the floods, but PM Modi did not have the courtesy to speak about the disaster in Karnataka. The PM has not issued any statement and has kept mum.
“In 2005 and 2009, when Karnataka faced floods, the then PM Manmohan Singh not only conducted aerial surveys, but also announced and released funds,’’ he said. JDS leader Basavaraj Horatti said the PM has time and money for other states. “Modi is PM for the entire nation, but he is not treating Karnataka well,’’ he said.
Congress MLC Prakash Rathod said, “We at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee did a ground survey, and according to our estimation, the loss is over Rs 1 lakh crore. A detailed report was given to all people concerned, including PM Modi and Governor Vajubhai Vala. Our leaders sought time with Modi to discuss the matter, but he did not bother to reply. He did not tweet about the disaster. We are urging him to declare this as a national disaster, but the Union government is keeping mum,’’ he said. “The PM is treating Karnataka step-motherly,’’ he added.
Defending the PM, Tourism Minister CT Ravi said in the 10 years during the UPA government, the Union government released Rs 4,138 crore, whereas between 2014-2019, the NDA government released Rs 7,300 crore. “Which is more?’’ he asked.