HUBBALLI: Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah on Wednesday sharply reacted to the proposed health scheme of the Maharashtra government to be implemented in all disputed villages falling in Karnataka state. He has not only demanded the Union government sack the Shinde government but also sought the resignation of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for not yet reacting to the issue.
The Shinde government has recently announced the implementation of its flagship health programme Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana in the disputed villages. Karnataka has informed that the report of the Mahajan Commission is final and accepted but evoked a strong reaction after the neighbouring state announced the implementation of a government programme in Karnataka villages.
Strongly condemning the Shinde government, Siddaramaiah told reporters that while a government of one state was medaling in the affairs of another state, how could the Central government sit quietly? He criticised the BJP government in Karnataka for not registering its protest. Visibly furious Congress leader asked whether the central and state governments are dead.
People of several villages of Maharashtra are not happy with their government and wanted to join with Karnataka, then could the latter interfere in the affairs of the neighbouring state to resolve their problems?, he asked and added, the Karnataka government's stated policy was that the report of the Mahajan Commission was final and would not cede a single inch of land to any other state.
Questioning that "Have not these developments come to the notice of the Government of India", the senior Congress leader said, "The move of the Shinde government is a challenge for the sovereignty of Karnataka and also against the federal structure of the country. So I demand the Union government to dismiss the Shinde government and ask the Bommai government to raise its voice against the move".
Siddaramaiah further criticised the Maharashtra leaders for unnecessarily instigating the sentiments of Kannadigas and trying to disturb the peace in the State and said, being silent was not a weakness of the latter. Also, lashing at the State government, he said, Bommai has utterly failed in protecting the interests of the State and Kannadigas and has no moral right to continue as chief minister. "So, I demand his resignation," he added.