HUBBALLI: AICC General Secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, said that though there is a change in leadership in Karnataka, the character of the BJP government, which was formed on the basis of corruption, defection and spying, will not change.
Addressing reporters here on Friday, Surjewala said that everyone was aware how the Centre used snooping to bring down the Congress-JDS elected government in the state. “The only thing that has happened so far is rampant corruption. There is zero accountability, zero governance and zero administration,” he charged.
On the change of guard in the state, Surjewala asked, “Can rubber stamps replace reality?” He questioned the priority of the State Government at a time when the entire North Karnataka was reeling under floods. “But the BJP leaders are going to Delhi to become ministers,” he added. The priority for this government was the spoils of power and not floods, he remarked. “Priority should be to get back Rs 11,000 crore pending GST compensation. Considering that the Union Finance Minister is elected from the state, efforts should be also made to get Rs 18,000 crore from the Centre’s borrowings. This itself adds up to Rs 30,000 crore,” he added.
Surjewala hit out at Home Minister Amit Shah over the tension along the Assam-Mizoram border and called him the most inept Home Minister ever. He demanded action against the CMs of both the states for their “irresponsible handling of the delicate situation.” “Should we fight our enemy or our own brothers and sisters?” he said.
On the 27% reservation for OBCs in medical education, Surjewala said the Modi government took the decision fearing contempt of court. “A law in this regard was brought by the Manmohan government. Congress president Sonia Gandhi too had written to Modi. But he failed to act. Later, a girl approached the Madras High Court and the latter ordered in July 2020 that it was the Constitutional obligation of the Centre to implement it. The government did not respond even then. So, the Congress and the DMK approached the HC. On July 21, the court gave a seven-day deadline and fearing contempt of court, the government implemented the quota,” he said.