BENGALURU: The budget session of the Karnataka Legislature starting Monday (July 3) is expected to be stormy as the Opposition BJP is determined to target the Congress government over the implementation of its poll guarantees nearly one and a half months after it came to power.
The BJP has decided to start a ‘Stop cheating, start implementing guarantee schemes’ campaign against the government for the delay in implementing the five guarantees promised by the Congress ahead of the May 10 Assembly elections.
Apart from the guarantee schemes, the BJP legislators are also gearing up to take on the government over a dozen issues, including the decision to repeal the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act (commonly called as the Anti-Conversion law) passed by the previous BJP regime.
The issue of removal of certain lessons from textbooks and the anti-cow slaughter law are also expected to be raised by the BJP. The 10-day session will begin from Monday with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot addressing the joint session. On July 7, Chief Minister Siddaramiah, who holds the finance portfolio, will present the budget. The session will end on July 14.
Addressing reporters here, former minister and Malleswaram MLA Dr CN Ashwath Narayan lambasted the Congress for “deceiving people by not implementing the guarantees”. “We are going to fight this both inside and outside the House,” he said, blaming the government for the recent hike in power tariff.
Elaborating, Ashwath Narayan said that the BJP legislators will protest under the leadership of party senior leader and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa from July 4. “The 10kg rice they promised has come down to 5kg. They first promised 200 units of free power to each household...but now they are considering the 10-month average,” he said.
On “Gruha Lakshmi”, Ashwath Narayan said, “The Congress initially promised that every woman would get Rs 2,000. But now they are restricting it only to the head of the family. This is leading to fights in families.” Criticising Shakti, the government’s free bus travel for women in state-run buses, he said, “People are having a harrowing time. People, especially students and the working class members, are facing difficulties.”
Govt to start receiving applications for Gruha Lakshmi from July 14: Min
Belagavi: Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar on Sunday said that the State Government will start receiving applications for the Gruha Lakshmi scheme from July 14. Speaking to reporters here, she said that an official announcement in this regard will be made either on July 3 or 4. “The Congress government will prove its commitment by implementing all the five guarantees. The Union Government refused to give us rice for Anna Bhagya. But we will pay for additional 5kg rice. The benefits of Gruha Jyoti and Anna Bhagya will start reaching people this month,” she elaborated.