BENGALURU/MYSURU: The Congress on Saturday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not making any announcement on central assistance to the state government to take up relief works in flood-hit regions in the state, during his visit to Bengaluru to witness the Chandrayaan-2 mission early Saturday morning.
While the Congress termed the PM’s silence as an “insult to the people of the state”, the BJP hit back by saying that a central team has already visited the state to assess damage caused by floods, and the state is confident of getting central assistance.
“It is an insult to the people of the state. The PM has time to travel abroad and announce 1 billion dollar line of credit for Russia’s Far East, but has no time to visit flood-hit areas in the state,” said Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Dinesh Gundu Rao.
“The central and state governments have failed to provide relief to people in flood-hit areas. The PM should have conducted an aerial survey of affected regions. The CM, who was waiting for the PM’s visit to the state to discuss the issue, failed to do so,” said former CM Siddaramaiah.
Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had said he would discuss the flood situation with the PM during his visit to Bengaluru. “The PM is aware of the situation and we are expecting good news from the Centre soon,” he had said.
According to sources, no such meeting took place on Friday night or on Saturday morning. Sources in the CMO said such a meeting could not take place due to paucity of time. The PM landed in Bengaluru on Friday night and left the city on Saturday morning after addressing scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation facility in Bengaluru.
“We were expecting that the PM will make some announcement, but unfortunately the PM did not even speak about floods. BJP leaders in the state, including Yediyurappa, have become so helpless that they cannot even put pressure on the PM and discuss such an important issue,” he said.
Congress leaders demanded a special session of the state legislature to discuss the serious issue and also urged the CM to call an all-party meeting or take an all-party delegation to meet the PM.
Heavy rains and floods caused havoc in 22 out of 30 districts and a central team had visited flood-hit areas in the state recently. The CM said he would not take up the issue with the PM during his visit to the state, but the state is confident of getting central assistance.
“Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Seetharaman have toured flood-affected areas and have first-hand information about the situation. During my visit to New Delhi, I have explained the situation to the PM. There is no need to take a delegation to press for flood relief,” he said.
The CM said the state is worst hit from floods and there is a need to rebuild 1.5 lakh houses. Yediyurappa said the centre has assured the grants and it is the responsibility of the state government to come to the rescue of the families worst affected by the flood, he said while speaking to media persons after offering Bagina at Kabini reservoir.