Karnataka’s spendthrift Ministers come under fire in Legislature

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and several of Ministers came under fire from the Opposition in the State Legislature for reportedly squandering public money by lavishly renovating their official residences and carrying out alterations in the buildings to comply with Vastu prescription.

After Government gave written reply to a question from Congress member Gurupadappa Nagamarapalli in the Legislative Assembly on the cost incurred by the Government for renovation of the recently allotted Ministerial bungalows, JD (S) Floor leader in the Legislative Council M C Nanaiah sought to move a private member’s bill to prevent the alterations of the bungalows on the grounds of Vastu.

Tabling the bill, which seeks to amend the Karnataka Ministers Salaries, Pensions Allowances and Other Law Bill 2008, Nanaiah said it was “ridiculous” to spend such huge sums of public money to meet the requirements of Vastu.

According to information provided by the Government, the Chief Minister himself had spent Rs 1.13 million, while Revenue Minister Karunakar Reddy and Social Welfare Minister D Sudhakar had spent Rs 1.65 million and Rs 1.4 million respectively. Women and Child Development Minister P M Narendraswamy had spent Rs 1.2 lakh for the purpose.

A host of other Ministers including Small Scale Minister P Venkataramanappa, Religious Endowment Minister Krishnaiah Shetty, Transport Minister R Ashok and Public Works Minister C M Udasi too had spent amounts varying from Rs 700,000 to Rs 1 million towards either renovating their ministerial bungalows or altering them to suit Vastu.

Nanaiah sought to know from the Government how it could justify the expenditure of such large sums of money from the public exchequer. “Whose money do you think you are spending ?”, he said. “The public has already lost faith in legislators. If we continue to indulge in such foolish acts, the day is not far off when we will be termed as mad and incompetent fellows”, Nanaiah remarked.
The Bill sought to be moved by Nanaiah also seeks to prevent performing of pooja and other religious rituals in Government offices by Ministers as India is a secular state.