BENGALURU: The Opposition BJP and JDS criticised the budget presented by CM Siddaramaiah on Friday. BJP strongman and former CM BS Yediyurappa slammed the budget claiming that it deviates from the path of development. He said that the budget prioritises Minority appeasement over economic progress.
He further said Kalyana Karnataka has been largely ignored, with no concrete plans for its development. Furthermore, there is a lack of commitment to fulfilling promises made in the previous budget, and Bengaluru’s infrastructure needs have been overlooked, he claimed.
The most alarming aspect, according to Yediyurappa, is the State Government’s inaction regarding farmers, despite rampant cases of suicides by farmers. The budget, the former CM asserts, lacks provisions to enhance farmers’ income, making it detrimental to the state’s growth.
The BJP accused the government of blatant minority appeasement through various financial incentives exclusively for Muslims. Opposition leaders have condemned this approach, calling it a classic case of vote-bank politics. LoP in Assembly R Ashoka labelled the budget as “anti-people and Muslim-centric,” criticising the unprecedented borrowing of Rs 1.16 lakh crore, which has pushed the state’s total debt to a record Rs 7.81 lakh crore.
Ashoka also highlighted that the excise department has been tasked with generating Rs 60,000 crore in revenue, with new bars being introduced to increase liquor sales. He sarcastically referred to the government’s welfare schemes as “Kuduka Bhagya” (alcoholic welfare), claiming that Congress is more focused on increasing liquor revenue than addressing people’s welfare. He further criticised the lack of tax-related announcements in the budget, warning that hidden tax hikes might follow later.
Ashoka also slammed the budget for prioritising Muslim welfare initiatives, including a Rs 1,000 crore allocation for Minority colonies, Rs 150 crore for the Wakf Board, and Rs 30 lakh for Muslim foreign travel. In contrast, he noted that gurudwaras received a mere Rs 2 crore. According to Ashoka, Bengaluru’s essential problems like potholes and waste management remain unaddressed.
Meanwhile, JDS leader and former CM HD Kumaraswamy accused the government of favoritism and discrimination. He asserted that the budget prioritises appeasement politics over genuine development, betraying the majority population.