MYSURU: The Congress, which has planned a padayatra for the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, has turned the tables on the BJP, accusing the latter's national general secretary CT Ravi of instigating Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai to oppose the project.
Further accusing Annamalai of prevailing upon the BJP central leaders, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah alleged that the government is not giving clearance at the insistence of the former. Coming down heavily on Ravi at the Congress convention in Chamrajanagar, Siddaramaiah pointed out that the duo were responsible for the delay in the Mekedatu project.
He clarified that though there was a proposal for the Mekedatu reservoir project from 1962, it was his government that prepared a Detailed Project Report for Rs 5,912 crore, while DK Shivakumar as the Irrigation Minister got the revised DPR done for Rs 9,000 crore that needs environment clearance now.
"The BJP claims to be a double-engine government, but it has not exhibited its political will to get the project cleared. Why is it that the double-engine BJP government failed to get it done in the past three years?" he asked.
He said that the people of Chamarajanagar, who want water from Mekedatu, should ensure that at least one member from each family takes part in the padayatra. Turning his attention to current Irrigation Minister Govind Karjol’s claims that he possesses explosive documents, the former CM dared him to make them public so that people will know the truth.
Siddaramaiah said the party members had visited the district during the oxygen tragedy last year, and had exposed the failure of the government, which claimed only three had died, when the Deputy Commissioner and District Health Officer admitted that over 36 had lost their lives at the District Hospital. They thus exposed the lies of Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, and also S Suresh Kumar, who was a minister at that time.
BJP in hurry to pass Bill: Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar
MYSURU: KPCC president DK Shivakumar on Sunday alleged that the BJP government is in a hurry to push the anti-conversion Bill, rather than focusing on the livelihoods of people. He added that while the BJP focused more on dividing people and society, the Congress wanted to knit together a divided society in the interest of the nation.
Addressing the Congress convention and membership drive at Chamarajanagar, Shivakumar said that many of BJP’s assurances can be heard, but not seen. He added that the Siddaramaiah government had made big strides, with more than Rs 2,000 crore being released to each Assembly constituency. "Let the BJP leaders know what they have given and compare the people’s plight during both regimes," he challenged.
Shivakumar said that the people of Chamarajanagar have groomed leaders like R Druvanarayan and H S Mahadev Prasad, and claimed that the party will win all four seats from the district in the 2023 Assembly election.
Meanwhile, KPCC working president R Druvanarayan accused Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai of avoiding Chamarajanagar because of the fear of losing his post. He alleged that Bommai neither entered the town, nor consoled the families of those who lost their loved ones in the oxygen tragedy at the district hospital last year.