BENGALURU: The state Assembly witnessed a heated exchange between ruling and Opposition members on Wednesday over the resignation of Congress MLA Yashwanthrayagouda Patil of Indi in Vijayapura district. Patil had submitted his resignation to Speaker GS Patil, triggering an opposition onslaught against the government’s handling of the drought situation. Speaker Patil said he had not accepted the resignation as it was not in the prescribed format.
During a discussion on drought, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka raised the issue of Patil’s resignation and criticised the government’s handling of the situation. “This is a certificate of the government’s performance and drought management. It is shameful. Your MLA submitted a plea to CM DK Shivakumar and Deputy CM G Parameshwara, but when there was no response, he was disappointed and tendered his resignation,” Ashoka said. There were heated arguments between members of the ruling and opposition parties.
Shivakumar said he spoke to the MLA and convinced him not to quit. “There was rain initially in his constituency, based on which farmers took loans and purchased seeds and fertilisers. But later, there was no rain and the crops dried up. I can understand the pressure on the MLA from the people of his constituency,” he said.
He said if an area fails to meet the prescribed parameters, it cannot be declared drought-hit. “Certain parameters have to be met, following which deputy commissioners will send reports to the Government of India. All 224 constituencies have received less rainfall. But even my constituency, Kanakapura, is not declared drought-hit,” he said.
Parameshwara blamed the Centre’s drought assessment parameters for the delay in declaring drought-hit taluks. The state government has written at least 10 letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ministry concerned seeking relaxation of the parameters. Once relaxed, the government is ready to declare more areas drought-hit, he added.
BJP asks why Speaker mum on resignation
BJP Karkala MLA V Sunil Kumar said Congress MLA Yashwanthrayagouda Patil submitted his resignation on Tuesday, and the Speaker should have informed the House about it. “You should have given a reply on whether the resignation was accepted, rejected or kept pending. Why did you not inform the House,” the MLA asked.
He referred to Congress Gadag MLA HK Patil’s recent expression of displeasure with the government and his threat to quit as MLA. Sunil Kumar also said more MLAs could follow HK Patil.
Meanwhile, state BJP president and Shikaripura MLA BY Vijayendra said 937 farmer suicide cases have been reported from the Kalyana-Karnataka region alone, including 234 from Kalburgi, 209 from Bidar, 161 from Raichur, 82 from Koppal and others.