BJP neglected Karnataka’s need for drought relief, says Shivakumar ahead of Delhi protest

Bengaluru: Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday accusing the BJP in Karnataka of neglecting the state’s need for drought relief from the Centre. He said that despite the Congress government’s efforts to provide relief to the affected and implement guarantee schemes, the BJP continues to target the ruling party.

The comments came as the BJP opposed the Congress’s announcement that the state unit, including all MLAs, MLCs and MPs, will protest against the union government on February 7 in New Delhi for not allocating proper funds to the state in the interim budget.

Shivakumar invited BJP and JD(S) leaders to join the state Congress’s protest in Delhi. “It has been 10 years since the Manmohan Singh government went, they (BJP) should have sense. It is okay to have people without knowledge or education, but people have to be sensible. People have given you the power in the country, you also had a double engine government (BJP governments both at the Centre and in the state), but what did you do is the question,” Shivakumar told reporters.

Responding to the BJP’s demands for records of funds received during the UPA rule, Shivakumar pointed out the BJP’s failure to secure drought relief despite having a significant presence in Karnataka’s parliamentary representation.

Shivakumar highlighted the steps taken by the Siddaramaiah government, including direct relief payments to affected farmers. “Apart from doing whatever is necessary for drinking water supply, for the first time, the Siddaramaiah government has ensured that the affected farmers got ₹2,000 to their bank accounts as relief. The BJP is unable to digest it,” he said.

He criticised the Centre for alleged injustice towards Karnataka and questioned the BJP’s silence on funds promised for state projects. “We, the Congress lost the election (Lok Sabha), but you (the BJP) won with over 300 seats...Let’s leave everything, in the last Union budget, Nirmala Sitharaman had said ₹5,300 crore will be given to the state’s Upper Bhadra irrigation project,” he said and sought to know if even a single rupee had been released for the same. “Let them (BJP) say,” the KPCC chief, who is the state’s irrigation minister, added.

Meanwhile, BJP members protested against Congress MP DK Suresh’s comments about south India, leading to clashes with police. Several members of the BJP gathered outside the residence of Suresh on Sunday to protest his recent statement that southern states would be forced to demand a separate nation if the “injustice” in distribution of funds is not rectified by the Centre.

Protestors were heard shouting the slogans ‘Vande Mataram’, ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, and ‘Down Down D K Suresh’ outside his residence in Sadashivanagar here.

However, the agitators were soon removed from the spot by police and shifted into a bus, police said.

Suresh is the brother of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D K Shivakumar. “A group of members from the BJP had gathered outside the residence of the Congress MP. They tried to stage a protest there against his statement over demand for a separate nation for southern states. But our officials immediately removed them from the spot and took them into custody. The situation is under control,” a senior police officer said.

Suresh, who represents the Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency, had also alleged that Hindi was being “imposed” on South India in every aspect.

Reacting to the protests, Suresh remarked that in a democracy everyone has the right to protest and freedom of speech. “... I happily welcome their protests... May god bless them,” he told reporters here.

He accused the BJP, however, of trying to “distort” his statement. “I never said this country has to be divided. They (BJP) are moving in that direction, they are trying to do politics,” the lone Lok Sabha member of the Congress in Karnataka clarified.

Asked why the BJP was trying to twist his statement, Suresh said, “You (media) should ask them... Media which is showing my statement has to go through it and speak. I don’t know whether it is media’s mistake or BJP’s or mine.”

“I believe that media is the fourth estate in a democracy, if you say no we are in favour of one side, I can’t do anything,” he said, adding that his statement is very clear and it is being distorted by the BJP.

Meanwhile, State BJP President B Y Vijayendra said the party’s Yuva Morcha workers who were peacefully protesting outside Suresh’s residence were subjected to unnecessary lathi charge by the police, resulting in serious injuries to the workers, and called it a Congress government-inspired “goondaism”.

“The BJP will not tolerate anyone questioning the sovereignty of India,” he said in a post on social media platform X, adding that the party will not stop its protests “until he (Suresh) repents”.

BJP MP Lahar Singh Siroya urged chief minister Siddaramaiah to prioritise the recovery of funds from illegal mining as highlighted in a committee report. Singh questioned the delay in action on the report and emphasised the potential benefits of recovering these funds for state development projects.

The MP asked Siddaramaiah to take immediate action on the recovery process, stating, “Recover these dues which you promised, and then I will urge BJP MLAs to join you to seek extra funds from the Centre.”