MANGALURU: Kota Srinivasa Poojary, opposition leader in legislative council, on Saturday said that chief minister H D Kumaraswamy who should have been in mother's position to the state has turned out to be step-mother for Coastal Karnataka by reportedly ignoring the region in the budget.
Speaking to reporters at BJP office in Kodialbail, he said ignoring the coastal region on the pretext that it is already developed in terms of education sector and others is not right. "The education sector has done well not because of the government but due to great educationists like TMA Pai and many others. Hence, the government should give it due to the region," he said.
Further, he said the middle class has been badly hit by rise in fuel prices and power tariff in the budget and demanded that it should be withdrawn in the interest of common man. Pointing out to the budget-making an allocation to only inland fisheries, he asked whether the problems of fishermen operating along the 300 km long coastline did not come to CM's mind. "Government lacks a clear vision for the development of the state and it reflects in the budget," he alleged.
On government's promise that all programmes initiated in the last budget by then chief minister Siddaramaiah will be continued, Poojary said out of 253 Indira Canteen planned, only 73 are functioning on all days. Hence, there is no guarantee that Siddu's programmes will be continued, he said.