Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 26 (ANI): Launching a multifaceted attack on the ruling Congress government in Karnataka, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Monday accused the administration of evading governance, alleging that it shifted blame onto the Centre over sugarcane farmers' issues, turned the historic Mysuru Dasara into an "ostentatious photo-shoot show," and was actively attempting to bury the investigation into the alleged sting operation against the former Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah.
Addressing the reporters, Ashoka criticised the administration's delayed response to agrarian distress, stating that the Congress government should have listened to the grievances of sugarcane farmers right from the beginning instead of deflecting accountability onto the Union government.
Issues that the state government itself should resolve—such as discrepancies in weighing and the release of pending payments—are many, he said. Instead of solving these problems, they have only tried to target the Central government, thinking that the Centre should do everything, and carried out a campaign of misinformation against Union Minister Pralhad Joshi in front of the farmers, he said.
Now Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is holding meetings, but because they preferred doing politics instead of holding a meeting earlier, the farmers' agitation has intensified, he alleged. An agreement could have been reached by talking to the sugar factory owners even before the farmers began their protest, he said, recalling that he had fixed prices when he was a minister, whereas the current dispensation was sitting idle after conducting a sting operation, he alleged.
Turning towards the Dasara festival, Ashoka alleged that the administration had compromised sacred traditions for political spectacle.
Royal mother Pramoda Devi has spoken about the mistakes made by the government, he said. In the Mysuru Dasara, the government has committed several lapses, such as omitting the traditional 'jatti kalaga' (wrestling bout) and disregarding established traditions and protocols, he said. A list of who should be present in the assembly and who should not have been prepared, but instead of doing that, they are now conveniently blaming the police, he said.
This was not a programme to offer devotion to Chamundi Mother; it was merely a photo-shoot programme of CM DK Shivakumar, he criticised. Leaving the proper performance of the puja aside, they invited the Chief Ministers of Kerala and Telangana and put on a show, throwing rules and norms to the wind to conduct an anarchic Dasara where no one was satisfied, he said. This was not the people's Dasara, but DK Shivakumar's show Dasara, he criticised.
Pointing to governance and institutional failures related to the KPSC, the BJP leader asserted that the government is incapable of overhauling the recruitment machinery or delivering on infrastructure promises.
They are not capable of reforming the KPSC, nor have they implemented anything related to the promised tunnel road or brand, he said. Even the so-called KPSC reform is being carried out merely as a formality, while people have realised that no work can be done here without money, he alleged. To cover up all the irregularities, they claim they will completely revamp the KPSC, but they should first send those who committed the irregularities to jail, as all these claims are empty words, he said.
Raking up the controversial sting video row, Ashoka alleged that high-level political pressure was being mounted from New Delhi to close the investigation.
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy has spoken something close to the truth, as Siddaramaiah's sting operation case is being quietly closed, he alleged. AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal spoke to party president Mallikarjun Kharge and instructed that the case should be closed since it would harm the party's image, he claimed, adding that leaders like BK Hariprasad and former minister Rajanna have corroborated this.
Without tracing those who originally fabricated the CD, the police are merely catching those who distributed it, which is akin to catching the person who served the meal instead of the one who cooked it, he remarked. Apart from wasting money on the police probe, there is no benefit, and within another week, the police will submit a closure report, he alleged, demanding that the truth will emerge only if the matter is handed over to a judicial probe.
Raising strong objections to state ministers reportedly planning to visit the national capital on November 1, Ashoka warned of widespread public pushback.
On the day of Kannada Rajyotsava, ministers should celebrate the festival in the state instead of travelling to Delhi, he said. If they still choose to go, the public will take to the streets and give them a cold reception, he warned. If they do not want to insult Kannada, they should stay here with their mouths shut and celebrate Rajyotsava, he said, warning that he would personally call for a statewide protest to see whether Kannada or Rahul Gandhi's address takes priority for them. On that same day, the massacre of Sikhs also took place, and now even they are being insulted, he said.
The Karnataka Assembly Leader of Opposition asserted that Kannadigas cannot expect justice from the present regime on key livelihood issues.
With regard to employment, the government should have summoned industrialists and held consultations to explain the rules, but instead, they grandly tell the media, “I will not stay quiet.” No one has asked the Chief Minister to stay quiet, but if they do not wish to run the administration properly, they should go to Delhi and stay there itself, he asserted. (ANI)
Karnataka LoP R Ashoka attacks Congress govt on farmers' issues and KPSC
