“Pro-BJP” Karnataka budget has JD (S) legislators fuming

The unmistakable “saffron tinge” to the Karnataka Budget presented recently by BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has come under strong criticism from various quarters including legislators belonging to its coalition partner JD (S).

The budgetary allocation of Rs 20 million for organizing the World Cow Protection Convention in Shimoga district, doubling of allocation for sprucing up of Hindu Temples from Rs 500,000 to Rs 1 million for each assembly segment, besides the proposal to develop the area around Bhadra Reservoir, where Sri Sri Ravishankar of the Art of Living Foundation attained “enlightenment”, have all come under the scanner of secular lawmakers.

Yediyurappa has also allocated Rs 5 million construction of a guest house at Tirupathi to provide accommodation to pilgrims visiting the famous Tirumala Temple in Andhra Pradesh, besides Rs 2 million for pilgrims from Karnataka visiting Manasa Sarovar.

Taking serious exception to the “religious bias” of Yediyurappa, Kannada protagonist and independent MLA Vatal Nagaraj questioned why the Government had not made similiar gestures towards the minority community. “None of the religious places proposed to be developed belong to the minority communities”, he said.

Pointing out that legendary ruler Tipu Sultan and Saint Shishunala Sharief were two personalities of Karnataka, who deserve to be remembered at a time when the State was celebrating its fiftieth formation year, Vatal Nagaraj said the Government should have paid attention to them. “Why has the birthplace of Saint Sishunala Sharief, which lacks infrastructure, not been taken up for development? What has the Government not decided to construct a memorial for Tipu Sultan?”, he questioned.

Transport Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy said the Budget has made provisions for implementation of BJP’s manifesto. The programmes of JD (S) have not received sufficient allocation of funds, he regretted.

The Deputy Chief Minister’s “brazen” efforts to keep the citadel of the BJP strong by allocating a Lion’s share of the Government funds to areas identified as ‘BJP-strongholds” has also left the JD (S) legislators fuming.

The coastal areas of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi and Karwar, besides the regions in northern Karnataka, which are emerging as strong bastions of the BJP, have been blessed with a string of programmes including the setting up of Yakshagana Academy and Tulu Study Chair, besides allocation of a sum of funds for setting right the regional imbalances in northern Karnataka.

In contrast, the old-Mysore region, which is considered to be a stronghold of the JD (S), has not been as lucky as either the coastal or northern Karnataka. Citing all these, a host of JD (S) legislators have expressed dissatisfaction over the State Budget presented by Yediyurappa.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s brother H D Revanna, who also holds the powerful portfolios of Public Works and Energy, has also openly expressed dissatisfaction with the Budget. He said the amount earmarked for agriculture and education sectors was woefully inadequate.

The Government should have created a revolving fund of Rs 500 million to Rs 1 billion to bail out the farmers, who are sufferring due to absence of proper marketing facilities. Similiarly, Revanna said the proposal to set up 90 first grade colleges in the State has not figured in the Budget.

“I will raise the issue during the debate in the Assembly and press for their inclusion either through supplementary demands or through implementation of a special scheme”, said a clearly disappointed Revanna.