BENGALURU: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka on Saturday accused the state government of stopping pensions to senior citizens, orphans and transgender persons.
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, the BJP leader said when the state treasury is empty and there is no money to even pay pension, the government is holding a mega convention in Tumakuru on May 19 to showcase its achievements on completing three years in office.
Accusing the Congress government of holding the convention to cover up its failures, he said old-age pensions, widow pensions, Sandhya Suraksha and assistance to transgender minorities have not been paid. There are 81.88 lakh beneficiaries under the pension schemes, requiring Rs 894 crore per month, he said, and added that although Rs 10,736 crore is allocated every year in the budget, this money has not reached the beneficiaries.
The BJP leader said when he was a minister, he had taken steps to provide Rs 10,000 per month to acid attack victims, but the Congress government is not releasing it regularly. He said Devadasis are not getting Rs 2,000, freedom fighters are not getting Rs 10,000 and Asha workers were not getting Rs 10,000 honorarium as promised. Siddaramaiah has failed to keep his word, Ashoka said.
Meanwhile, Ashoka said there are more than 10 lakh Bangladeshi citizens in Karnataka. Thousands of Bangladeshis are living in Mahadevapura in Bengaluru, Chikkamagaluru and coffee estates in Kodagu, and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will stop Bangladeshi citizens from voting, he said. With Congress, BJP and JDS agents present at every booth, there is no chance of genuine voters’ names being deleted, the BJP leader said.
On the fuel price hike, he said due to the war-like situation, petrol and diesel prices have increased. Fuel prices have increased by 71% in Malaysia, 44% in Pakistan, 86% in the UAE, 48% in the US, 41% in Sri Lanka and 51% in Nepal, he said, and added that in India, the increase is 3%.