DHARWAD: Declaring unanimous support for the protest being held by job aspirants in Dharwad, BJP leaders R Ashoka, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Arvind Bellad and others called upon the protesters to plan a padayatra to Bengaluru, and assured them that their issue would be discussed in the upcoming Budget session, starting March 6. Addressing a stage programme on Tuesday at Jayanagar, Ashoka said he is ready to discuss recruitment done during the BJP government’s tenure and that done in the Congress government’s reign. The government either has to accept that its treasury is empty or announce recruitment immediately.
“The Congress government is accumulating money for elections in other states. The deputy chief minister is busy trying to occupy the chief minister’s chair, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is busy saving his chair. They don’t have time for youth development. I have information that more than 2 lakh jobs are vacant and the finance department has given approval for recruitment to 65,000 posts in various departments, but the government is holding up approval,” he added. Chalavadi said the protest will be intensified if the government remains silent. The youth approached police seeking permission, but the government is trying to suppress them by using the police department, he said.
Protest march
Earlier, job aspirants took out a mega rally accompanied by BJP leaders. The protest commenced from Sri Nagar Circle and concluded at Jubilee Circle. As the number of protesters increased and the rally split into two, the organisers, BJP leaders and even police appeared confused. One group followed BJP leaders, where a stage function was organised at Jayanagar, while another staged a protest at Jubilee Circle, giving the police anxious moments as each group comprised more than 2000 youths.
The protesters shouted out slogans against the state government and demanded immediate action for recruitment to 2 lakh vacant posts. They threatened to go on an indefinite protest and vandalised roadside banners of political leaders, including BJP politicians, unmindful that they were supporting the job protest.
Akhila Karnataka State Students’ Association (AKSSA) leader Kantkumar was taken to custody by police and later, BJP leaders demanded and procured his release. It was clearly not an organised gathering, with a few shouting that they did not want politicians involved, and tried to stop Ashoka from speaking at the rally.
Taking a dig at the Congress government and its preparation for the forth coming budget, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka on Tuesday said that CM Siddaramaiah does not have the money to prepare the budget, but he is preparing to present the budget to retain power, this is a illusionary budget.
Speaking to reporters in Chitradurga, he said the state’s debt has reached Rs 3 lakh crore and Siddaramaiah is the only CM who has borrowed the most in the state in comparison with his predecessors.