Congress protests against Central government demanding release more drought relief funds

BENGALURU: Congress leaders staged a protest against the central government in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha holding pots demand the release of more funds towards drought relief.

#WATCH | Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, Congress MP and general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala along with several other leaders stage a protest against the central government over the release of more funds for drought relief, at Mahatma Gandhi Statue in… pic.twitter.com/cppcWpkohm

— ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2024

The Congress leaders condemned the release of the drought relief fund of Rs 3,454 crore by the central government and pointed out that the state had sought Rs 18,000 crore.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP and said, “We have asked for money for farmers, not to fulfill Congress guarantees, and we will never ask for it”.

ಈ ಬಾರಿ ಭೀಕರ ಬರಗಾಲದಿಂದಾಗಿ 48 ಲಕ್ಷ ಹೆಕ್ಟೇರ್ ಪ್ರದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆಳೆದಿದ್ದ ಬೆಳೆ ಹಾನಿಯಾಗಿದೆ. ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ @narendramodi ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ 4,663 ಕೋಟಿ ರೂ. ಇನ್‌ಪುಟ್‌ ಸಬ್ಸಿಡಿ, 12,577 ಕೋಟಿ ರೂ. ತುರ್ತು ಪರಿಹಾರ, 566 ಕೋಟಿ ರೂ. ಕುಡಿಯುವ ನೀರಿಗಾಗಿ ಹಾಗೂ 363 ಕೋಟಿ ರೂ. ಜಾನುವಾರುಗಳ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆಗಾಗಿ ಒಟ್ಟು 18,174 ಕೋಟಿ ರೂ. ಪರಿಹಾರ… pic.twitter.com/zP34VKpLzC

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 28, 2024

Responding to the BJP leaders’ allegations that the money is to fulfill the guarantee schemes. the CM said the state had sought Rs 18,000 crore but got Rs 3498.98 crore. “We pay Rs 4 lakh crore towards taxes. BJP opposition leader R Ashoka, former CMs Basavaraj Bommai and B S Yediyurappa are lying. The BJP is a factory of lies. Now JD(S)
too has joined them and is doing injustice to the people”, he said.

“Guaranteed man-days under NAREGA, have not increased. The Congress government has been meted out injustice in many issues by the central government which has given a mug to the people”, CM said, displaying a ‘chombu’.

Deputy CM D K Shivakumar said, “People in the state are living on Congress guarantees scheme. Our guarantee is to protect people. The state government sought release drought relief funds in September. There is an incurred loss of Rs 50,000 crore from September till now. Have we asked for money for our household works? Are we begging them? We have asked for compensation for the people of the state. So far, we have given aid to the best of our abilities. The people of Karnataka do not want your alms, give us our rights”, he demanded.

ಬರಪರಿಹಾರ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕಕ್ಕೆ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಮಾಡಿರುವ ಮಹಾ ಮೋಸದ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಇಂದು ವಿಧಾನಸೌಧದ ಗಾಂಧಿ ಪ್ರತಿಮೆ ಬಳಿ ಹಮ್ಮಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದ ಪ್ರತಿಭಟನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಎಐಸಿಸಿ ಪ್ರಧಾನ ಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿ ಶ್ರೀ @rssurjewala ಹಾಗೂ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ಪಾಲ್ಗೊಂಡೆ. ಸೆಪ್ಟೆಂಬರ್‌ನಿಂದ ಇಲ್ಲಿಯವರೆಗೂ ಭೀಕರ ಬರದಿಂದಾಗಿ ₹18,172 ಕೋಟಿ ರೂಪಾಯಿ… pic.twitter.com/j9jAYDQvCX

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) April 28, 2024

“The Central should be given compensation, including crop loss, from September till now. They are paying funds after the Supreme Court order. We will continue our fight against the injustice of the Centre. The BJP and JD(S) are traitors to the state, and they have not raised their voice for the state”, Shivakumar lashed out at the NDA government at the Centre.

Congress MP and general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, along with several other leaders, participated in the protest. They marched from the Gandhi statue to Devaraj Urs statue with pots on their heads and ended the protest.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: Congress workers staged a protest against JDS leader Prajwal Revanna over his obscene video case and burnt his effigy. pic.twitter.com/HU41h34tvs

— ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2024

Congress workers also staged a protest against JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna over alleged obscene videos and burnt him in effigy.