Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (NJC)
Mangaluru, May 20: MP Brijesh Chowta on Wednesday alleged that the three-year rule of the Karnataka government under chief minister Siddaramaiah has pushed the state into a severe debt burden, despite Karnataka once being considered one of the country’s progressive states.
Addressing a press conference at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Mangaluru, Chowta said Karnataka had earned a reputation for fiscal discipline during the tenure of the previous government led by former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai. He claimed that the present financial strain faced by the state had been highlighted even in the CAG report and questioned the state government’s decision to celebrate its achievements through ‘Sadhana Samavesha’.
He accused the state government of failing to maintain financial discipline and dragging citizens into a debt trap. He further alleged that even central government schemes had not been effectively implemented in the state. Referring to the PM Awas Yojana, Chowta said that out of 6.38 lac houses sanctioned, nearly 2.5 lac houses remain incomplete.
He also claimed that under the Ksheeradhare scheme, subsidy payments amounting to Rs 800 crore have been pending for the last nine months for dairy farmers. Additionally, he alleged that a corpus fund of Rs 15,000 crore had been diverted for other purposes, but no clear explanation had been provided by the government regarding its utilisation.
Questioning Siddaramaiah’s governance, Chowta said it was difficult to understand why the chief minister, despite his long political experience, was functioning in such a manner during what he described as the final phase of his political career.
Commenting on the situation in Dakshina Kannada district, he said the condition was no different, alleging that even the health department was being run through CSR funds amounting to Rs 25 crore. He further claimed that salaries were not being paid on time and no fresh recruitments were being made, accusing the Congress government of using the state ‘like an ATM’ and pushing people into financial distress.
Chowta also criticised the state government’s minority colony funding pattern, alleging that it was against the principles of B R Ambedkar. He said the BJP would take these issues to the people and create public awareness.
During the interaction, while referring to minister Priyank Kharge, Chowta remarked that unlike some leaders, he does not engage in politics through social media posts on every issue. He added that the achievements of Priyank Kharge and Mallikarjun Kharge could be judged by the development in their constituencies.
Responding to a question on the impact of rising petrol and diesel prices on the public, Chowta said the hike was not sudden and that aware citizens understood the reasons behind it. He attributed the price rise to global factors and said efforts were underway to address the challenge.
On a query regarding guarantee schemes in BJP-ruled states, he clarified that the BJP was not opposed to welfare schemes. However, he maintained that the financial crisis in Karnataka was the result of poor economic management and alleged that despite heavy borrowing, no significant assets had been created, leaving the state in a fragile condition.
BJP leaders including Shanti Prasad, Sujith Pratap, Dr Manjula Rao, Sanjay Prabhu, Arun Shet, Rajopal Rai, Jeevan, Dombayya, Hemath Shet, Kadri Manohar Shetty, and Madhav Mave were present at the press meet.