Karnataka: CM Siddaramaiah, Opposition in war of words over Centre’s fund cut

BENGALURU: Members of principal Opposition, BJP, stalled Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s reply on the budget appropriation bill in the Legislative Assembly on Friday with the House passing the bill sans a complete reply by the state government.

As accusations and counter accusations flew thick and fast in the House, Mr Siddaramaiah charged that he was forced to boycott some meetings convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they were meant for the benefit of certain corporate entities.

BJP legislators were upset with Mr Siddaramaiah for taking a dig at the Union government on the issue of reduction of aid for several schemes with the leader stating that Karnataka could forgo Rs 1,987 crores in all terms of grants. The BJP members objected saying the government was providing false statistics to the House and wanted to give their version. When both opposition and treasury benches engaged in a shouting matching, nothing could be heard.

At one point of time, Mr Siddaramaiah lost his cool and asked the BJP members to move a privilege motion if he had provided false statistics to the House. He also urged Speaker Mr Kagodu Thimmappa to expunge the version of BJP members from the records and asked him to send Mr C.T. Ravi out of the House. Before putting the bill to voting, which was passed when the Opposition members were staging a protest in the well of the House, Mr Siddaramaiah described the opposition as party of liers.

Commencing his reply, Mr Siddaramaiah said the government had spent a record 94 per cent of the budgetary provisions for 2014-15. Though the state could have achieved 100 per cent, it could not because the Union government reduced the quantum of funds. This year too, the state government would continue centrally sponsored programmes, though the Union government had cut allocations to the tune of Rs 4,690 crores.

When BJP members objected to the statement, Mr Siddaramaiah said he had said nothing new, as it was in budget. As per the provisions, the state government should have received Rs 11,721 crores assistance, but was getting only Rs 7,031 crores, a shortfall of Rs 4,690 crores, he added.

Leader of Opposition Jagadish Shettar, Mr C.T. Ravi and Mr Visveshwar Hegde Kageri started arguing with the Chief Minister and said that the state government was getting additional Rs 10,136 crores from 14th Finance Commission and overall, the state would get Rs 1,021 crores. They also recalled statement of Union finance minister Mr Arun Jaitley that the state was free to revert back to 13th Finance Commission, if not satisfied.

Mr Siddaramaiah contended that the state was getting only Rs 8,230 crores excess through devolution of funds and not Rs 10,136 crores. When BJP members stormed into the well, Mr Siddaramaiah moved the motion to pass budget appropriation bill, which was passed through voice vote.

Irked by disruptions, cm flings budget copy

Ruling Congress and BJP members were locked in a verbal clash in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, over alleged cut in funding of centrally-sponsored schemes, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, angry with disruptions, flinging a copy of the budget into the well of the House. Amidst chaos and charges, the Assembly passed demands for grants by various departments and the money Bill by a voice vote.

The two parties sparred during the Chief Minister’s reply to the discussion as he accused the NDA government of reducing funding for centrally-sponsored schemes. Angered by BJP’s repeated disruption and allegations of giving wrong information, Siddaramaih threw a copy of budget into the well of the House, which led to heated arguments between both sides.

Following this, the BJP members entered into the well of the House shouting slogans against the Congress government and the Chief Minister. As repeated attempts by Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa to convince BJP members to allow Chief Minister to continue with the reply failed, he put the demands and money Bill to vote, and amidst protest and sloganeering they were passed by a voice vote.