BENGALURU: Criticising the 2020-2021 budget, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah called it a “betrayal”. “The people elected 25 MPs from the BJP on their assurance to protect interests. Is this not betrayal of the people’s trust? This budget is jana droha,” Siddaramaiah said, pointing to fund cuts from the Centre. Mocking CM BS Yediyurappa’s green shawl, Siddaramaiah deemed the latter’s budget as being anti-farmer, anti-Dalit and anti-development.
“Wrapping a green shawl while presenting budget or taking oath doesn’t make one pro-farmer. Actions need to speak. Yediyurappa’s words should have reflected in his budget. A sum of Rs 500 crore for Mahadayi or Rs 1,500 crore for Yettinahole have been announced with no mention of Upper Krishna Project at all. That alone will cost Rs 40,000 crore. Sums allocated are meagre and mere eyewash,” he said. Accusing the BJP of trying to steal credit for Mahadayi, Siddaramaiah highlighted that the tribunal order came during his chief ministership.
Mocking the PM’s slogan ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, the former CM said that the budget showed no such social equality. “They have decreased the SC/ST sub-plan fund by Rs 4,000 crore compared to last year. No funds have been set aside for minorities except the Rs 200 crore that I in my stint as CM had announced for welfare of Christians,” Siddaramaiah said.
Highlighting that the tax hike will burden citizens, Siddaramaiah said Congress will debate against the hike and protest against fuel tax hike in coming days.