BENGALURU: The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday witnessed chaotic scenes after BJP members created ruckus over the State Government publishing an advertisement in newspapers opposing the Union Government’s VB-G RAM G Act featuring caricatures of Mahatma Gandhi having a conversation with a man named Sangappa, who is depicted wearing a white shirt and khaki trousers.
The Opposition members also staged a walkout.
“How can you (State Government) say something that Mahatma Gandhi did not say? Is this not a violation?’’ Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said in the Assembly, targeting the Congress government.
Ashoka said that the advertisement was issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. “We do not have any issue if they had given advertisements using Congress funds. But this is taxpayers’ money. Also, you have used words that were not said by Mahatma Gandhi. Has Gandhi ever said to name schemes and projects after him? He had even said to dissolve the Congress. Did that happen? He was also against alcohol consumption, but the State Government has given more licenses to sell liquor. Are you not insulting Gandhi then?” Ashoka asked the government.
He further slammed the government, saying that people pay taxes to get water, better roads, and waste management and not for advertisements.
State BJP president and Shikaripura MLA BY Vijayendra said that the advertisement was misleading the public. “The Centre has made it clear that gram sabhas will decide on the works to be implemented. But the advertisement says otherwise,” he said.
Gandhi wanted the country to be defecation-free, and it was PM Narendra Modi who took steps to build 1.5 crore toilets in the country, Vijayendra added.
In his reply, RDPR and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge said that the issue of MGNREGA is people’s problems and the government has used people’s money. “What has the Central Government done? We pay more tax. They need our money, our capacity to develop Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and other states. The Centre is running from our money,” Priyank said. Speaker UT Khader adjourned the House twice following the ruckus.
Later in the day, the BJP released a caricature in which Mahatma Gandhi and Dr BR Ambedkar are seen questioning Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, ministers Laxmi Hebbalkar and Priyank Kharge, and others on the alleged MUDA scam, Gruha Lakshmi, MGNREGA, and other schemes.
The Congress government and the opposition are up in arms over the Centre repealing the UPA-era MGNREGA with the VB-G RAM G Act.