Money Bill passed amid acrimony, Congress walks out

Chief Minister Yediyurappa had agreed on vote-on-account, but he went back on his word, alleged Siddaramaiah  
CM BS Yediyurappa during the Council session at Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday  |Nagaraja Gadekal
CM BS Yediyurappa during the Council session at Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday |Nagaraja Gadekal

BENGALURU: Amid the massive lockdown and heightened concern over mandatory social distancing, the Karnataka legislature was adjourned sine die, after passage of the Finance Bill.The biggest concern of the government was the passage of the money Bill, without which they would not have money for expenditure. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and the cabinet heaved a sigh of relief when the budget was passed, despite all challenges. It was presented on March 5.

For starters, the opposition Congress wanted the government to seek only a vote-on-account for four months, that would allow them expenditure till July. They had raised it with the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) and wanted more discussions on the budget. When the government tried to push the budget, the Congress walked out and boycotted the session, displeased that the BJP had sought to pass the money Bill for the full year.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, who addressed the media after walking out, alleged that the government had gone back on what it had agreed on in the BAC. Congress leaders HK Patil and Ramesh Kumar too expressed displeasure over the government going back on its word.

Siddaramaiah said that when he had proposed a vote-on-account in the BAC, both Yediyurappa and Speaker Vishweshwar Kageri had agreed to it, but when the House commenced, minister JC Madhuswamy had proposed to get the entire year’s expenditure passed.

Meanwhile, Yediyurappa told the House of the challenges he faced because of the coronavirus issue and how the first death in India was in Karnataka and they had managed to deal with it effectively. He said it was the exam season and the state was in Stage 2 of the crisis, and was taking measures to stop it from reaching Stages 3 and 4.

He said the government had made pension available for the poor two months in advance, besides the beneficiaries of MNREGA. We have provided facilities for those among the poor who have tested positive, he claimed. Ministers, health workers, doctors and police are working unitedly to tackle the crisis, Yediyurappa added.

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