BENGALURU: The Basavaraj Bommai government, which completed six months in office on Friday, released a booklet on its achievements. But the Opposition Congress wants the government to come out with a White Paper, specifying its performance on various fronts, including employment generation. Senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad, who is set to take over as the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, says he finds nothing to write home about.
Excerpts:
What are your views on the government’s performance in the last six months?
In all this time, the CM has been busy retaining his chair. The administration has collapsed and ministers are not listening to him. There is no concern for the state which faced heavy rainfall, floods and landslides. Roads are damaged and nothing has been done. The CM had assured that arterial roads will be taken care of immediately, but the government has failed on that front. If they think just relaying roads around the Vidhana Soudha is everything, it is not! The government has little to show on health, education and other sectors, and in creation of employment for the youth. Let them provide statistics on how many people have got jobs. We need a White Paper on the government’s performance in the last six months. Just giving statements and advertisements don’t mean that things are good on the ground. They’ve failed to address many serious issues raised during the Belagavi session.
What are those serious issues?
We had raised issues of floods, law and order, attacks on religious minorities, moral policing and more -- on the daily difficulties of the people. They are mostly not ready to discuss the real issues on the floor of the House.
How do you look at your new responsibility as the Opposition Leader in the State Legislative Council, that too when Assembly elections are to be held early next year?
We are a constructive opposition. If they bring people-oriented programmes, we will support them. However, if they bring anti-people Bills or programmes, we will oppose them. They should work for the people, for the state and not for some organisations. The Congress will continue to oppose anti-people policies. We will also try to have good coordination with the JDS in the Council.
In the last few days, several BJP leaders have spoken about many Congress leaders deserting the party and joining them. Your views?
This is a diversionary tactic. Many serious issues need to be addressed and they should focus on the development of the state and not just on politics. If they are so confident about their party, why are they talking about people from other political parties joining them?
Many feel the Congress, which took up the Mekedatu padayatra, is not showing similar enthusiasm in taking up issues of North Karnataka. What do you say?
People who want to divide Karnataka in terms of North and South are finding it as a tool (to make such allegations). There are issues (in North Karnataka) and we will take them up. Mahadayi is a serious issue, we will take that up. The whole Belagavi session was about North Karnataka issues. Kalyana Karnataka region needs more support. After Mallikarjuna Kharge secured special status under Article 371(J), there is a lot of focus on development of the region, but it is taking time. The Congress party, or anybody for that matter, should not discriminate between South, North or the Coastal regions. We are all one. Issues related to all regions are being taken up and we will continue to do so.
You have worked extensively for the Congress in several states. How do you look at the party’s prospects in the upcoming Assembly elections in five states?
We are going to form the government in Goa, Punjab and Uttarakhand. I think we are also ahead of the BJP in Manipur.
What will be the impact of these results on the Karnataka Assembly elections early next year?
Nothing. The BJP has collapsed in Karnataka and people are fed up with them as everybody wants to be in positions of power. They are compromising on the interests of the state for their own persona interests. That is not acceptable. Karnataka has been one of the well-governed states and people expect good governance.