BJP is unnecessarily creating row to further its agenda, says CM Siddaramaiah

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday lashed out at the opposition BJP saying that it is instigating the Hanuman flag issue at Keragodu village and staging protest only to reap dividends in the Lok Sabha election.

Speaking to media persons, the CM said that the BJP is unnecessarily creating a controversy to suit its agenda. “The villagers took permission to hoist only the national flag and the Kannada flag, but hoisted a saffron flag in violation of the conditions”, he pointed out.

“We have no objection to their agenda. They can approach the DC office tomorrow, but they cannot run amok. They are supposed to seek permission for whatever protest they plan”, Siddaramaiah said, while backing the Mandya district administration.

Meanwhile, the CM reacted to the BJP’s accusation that he was anti-Hindu and said, “They say this because they don’t have anything else against me. They say that I am anti-Hindu. But I am a Hindu, I love all people, from all religions. What is secularism? What is said in the Constitution? I believe in coexistence and tolerance”, he added.

The farmers in the drought-affected areas of the state, who are entitled to compensation, have been suffering for the past five months without receiving any relief funds from the Union Government. The toothless @BJP4Karnataka leaders of the state, who cannot question Prime…

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 29, 2024

Amid massive protest in Mandya, Siddaramaiah hits out at the central government for not releasing drought relief funds. In a lengthy post on X, he wrote, “The state government is making all the efforts to assist our farmers in the drought-affected areas. They have been suffering for the past five months without receiving any relief funds from the Union government. It stubbornly is not providing financial relief, causing injustice. To cover up this failure, the state’s BJP leaders are staging a protest against our government. The toothless @BJP4Karnataka leaders of the state, who cannot question Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are planning a protest against the state government. This is not only ridiculous but also a betrayal to the farmers of the state”.

Until January 25, relief of 545 crore rupees has been provided to 29 lakh farmers in the drought-affected areas. After the crop loss survey, relief has been extended to another 8-9 lakh farmers. The crop loss survey has been recorded in the FRUITS software, and the issues…

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 29, 2024

The CM also reminded of the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, “I met the Prime Minister @narendramodi along with Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda to appeal for assistance. The Agriculture Minister had also met the Union Agriculture Minister to make an appeal. So far, we have written 17 letters requesting drought relief, but we have received neither a response nor any financial assistance. In such circumstances, with what face do the BJP leaders go to the drought-affected farmers to protest against us? The state’s farmers are already enraged by the injustice being done by the union government”.

He further stated that whenever asked for compensation, the same BJP leaders arrogantly retorted, “Do we have a note-printing machine?” “This is the same BJP that has been violent towards the farmers protesting in Delhi. Such inherently anti-farmer BJP leaders are now shedding crocodile tears, but the farmers are not foolish enough to be deceived by this change of facade”, Siddaramaiah posted.