MANGALURU: Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra on Wednesday likened Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to Roman emperor Nero who fiddled while Rome burned accusing him of “having fun when the entire state was reeling under drought”.
“Even six months after assuming power, the Congress leaders are still in a fun mood. The CM is spending crores of rupees to renovate his house while ministers are buying new cars, unmindful of the drought situation,” he said, calling it an insult to the state’s farmers.
Further, he alleged that no district ministers have toured their respective districts to assess the severity of the drought. In the top Congress leaders meeting held in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Vijayendra said it was expected that the government will announce compensation for drought. “But unfortunately, they discussed Lok Sabha elections and appointments to boards and corporations which shows what their priorities are,” Vijayendra, MLA for Shikaripura, said.
He said the manner in which the Congress government is functioning in the state indicates that it is anti-farmer, anti-poor and anti-Dalit, adding, “It is for the first time in the history that a government has lost its popularity within 5-6 months of coming to power,” he said.
He came down heavily on the CM for blaming the Centre over drought relief and questioned whether the state had any responsibility. On reports of Hindutva leader Arunkumar Putthila planning to contest the Lok Sabha election, he said he will take the opinions of senior party leaders and make a decision. On caste census, Vijayendra said the BJP is not against the caste census but asked why Siddaramaiah failed to take appropriate measures on the issue during his previous tenure. He alleged that the issue is now being raised as Lok Sabha polls are nearing. It’s not right to misuse it for electoral gains, he said.
Vijayendra also slammed Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan’s “bow before Muslim speaker” remark, saying that it is a crime that he is still allowed to roam outside. “We will see how he takes part in the winter session. The CM should immediately seek his resignation,” he demanded.