BENGALURU: The BJP has condemned as discriminatory Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s decision to offer free bus passes only to students of government schools and colleges. The party has threatened to launch an agitation if Kumaraswamy fails to extend the free bus pass facility to all students.
The previous Siddaramaiah government had promised to offer free bus passes to all students in its budget and Kumaraswamy had assured that he will continue the welfare programmes announced by the Congress government. Kumaraswamy has betrayed at least 20 lakh poor students studying in private schools and colleges, BJP state general secretary N Ravikumar and MLC Y A Narayanaswamy said, addressing a joint press conference here on Tuesday.
BJP added that Kumaraswamy should also consider the fact that 25% of the students in private schools who are admitted under the RTE Act belong to below poverty line families. “They too deserve free bus passes,” Ravikumar said.Kumaraswamy has lost mental balance: BSY
BJP state president and opposition leader in the Assembly B S Yeddyurappa has termed Kumaraswamy as arrogant and dictatorial.Yeddyurappa took serious exception to Kumaraswamy’s decision to offer free bus passes to students of only government schools and his emotional outbursts at farmers’ rallies in North Karnataka where he had asked why he should waive their loans even though they did not vote for JD(S) in the assembly election. Yeddyurappa said, “No other CM in history has uttered such arrogant and humiliating words to the people. Kumaraswamy has lost his mental balance.”
“Kumaraswamy is not offering any alms to students, farmers or the people of North Karnataka. He should treat everyone on the principle of equality while offering government benefits. Kumaraswamy’s discriminatory politics will strengthen the feelings of separatism among people of northern Karnataka,” Yeddyurappa said. He also threatened to launch a state-wide agitation if Kumaraswamy fails to change his style of functioning.
‘Will consider free passes for private school students’
Shivamogga: Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said the government is open to the idea of distributing free bus passes to the students who are studying in private schools. He said, “Free bus passes will be issued to government school students and based on the pros and cons, a suitable decision will be taken.”