Mr H.M. Revanna is considered the Man Friday of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He too belongs to the Kuruba community like Siddaramaiah. On issues that the chief minister cannot speak about, it is Mr Revanna who does the talking along with his friend and Congress MLC V.S. Ugrappa. During an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Mr Revanna spoke about current political issues and did not mind using the caste angle to defend the policies of Mr Siddaramaiah. Here are excerpts from his interview.
How do we assess 30 months of the Siddarmaiah government?
We have clear instances to suggest, this government is corruption-free, scam-free and pro-people. It took six to eight months for the government to set right the financial and administrative mismanagement of the previous BJP government. Reforms in administration were brought in. For example, without due process, over '3,000 crore worth contracts were given to followers of BJP. This was set right. Ninety six programmes mentioned in the manifesto including Anna Bhagya, Ksheera Bhagya and loan waiver were implemented. To achieve development, a caste survey was done. This will help to frame plans and programmes scientifically. To ensure SC and ST development, we passed a legislation to reserve funds. Some of the water projects which were in cold storage, have been kickstarted. One example for his commitment to reforms is the selection of candidates for Kannada Rajyotsava awards. So this can be called a government that fulfilled what it promised. AHINDA, which constitute 75 per cent, got several programmes. Mr Siddaramaiah is the first CM after Devraj Urs to give so many pro-people programmes.
If you take performance as a parameter, serious doubts arise about the CM’s performance? State finance department has not been performing well. He could not give industries department a new direction. Similarly he failed to usher in Bengaluru development.
This is far from the truth. One of the best administrators that the state has ever seen is Siddaramaiah. All the departments which he had held in the past have his footprints. IAS officers fear him and respect him equally. If he had not performed his duty pertaining to individual departments, he could not have solved the garbage issue. Six garbage processing units have started work. Lack of co-ordination between departments is the main problem which has been solved. A full fledged minister has been appointed for this. Just because one company moved out, we can’t make it a big issue. Karnataka has fertile land, we can’t give as much as they demand.
The new Bengaluru in-charge minister has interests in real estate. He has a big company. He has got town planning and BMRDA too. Will it not lead to conflict of interest? As home minister, he was a failure. How can you give him a big portfolio?
I do not agree. He is not a failure. Just because, he belongs to a minority community, the Bharatiya Janata Party tried to create such a wrong impression.
Late Devraj Urs would say, keep industrialists and businessmen out of active politics. The government can help them in getting their work done, but they should not occupy big posts. Mr Siddaramaiah failed in following Urs’ principles.
Who is Ghorpade? He was a former maharaja. Wasn’t he in the Urs cabinet? The king of arrack, H.R. Basavaraju, was appointed to Rajya Sabha. Theoretical politics is different from practical politics. Many dubbed Urs as king of corruption. This is the conspiracy of upper castes. I pity S. Bangarappa, a genuine OBC chief minister. He was also called corrupt. For these people, B.S. Yeddyurappa carrying money in gunny bags is acceptable but OBC leaders should not carry even brief cases. Mr Moily was dubbed a big liar. Just because he is strong, Siddaramaiah has survived the onslaught for 30 months.
The Siddaramaiah government does not practice the Congress style of social justice. The Shaadi Bhagya programme was announced and after media attacked the government, all other minorities were included. Similarly, school excursions were announced only for OBC children, later it was extended to all. By doing this, you have totally divided society?
Political polarisation happens. BJP vote bank are Lingayats, upper castes and the business class. JD (S) has a strong base in the Vokkaliga belt. Congress’ votes lie in Ahinda communities. You take schemes like Anna Bhagya, Ksheera Bhagya or loan waiver. Did it help only Ahinda? No. Because of Ahinda politics, people from Savita Samaaja, or Tigala community or for that matter, anyone from the oppressed classes can become MLA. If programmes are constitutionally right, we should do it for Ahinda, nothing wrong in it..
If the government announces empowerment programmes for these sections no one will object. Bring in reservation, it is certainly acceptable. But, divisive politics is not.
We can’t look at these issues from a financial viewpoint alone. It is a societal issue. Having one acre of land, a Brahmin with a ghante (bell) in his hand abuses others with 10 acres of land. Tell me, when will this practice stop? This is not the experience of Dalits alone. I used to get similar treatment in Udupi. They never used to offer me water. Shoodra had a difficult life. We are not snatching away anything from others and giving them to Ahinda people. When '600 cr was given to maths and Lingayats, people did not object. When an excursion was arranged for OBC children you object. How can you compare a physically handicapped with a pailwan (body builder)? I ask- why not such programmes for Ahinda people only?
You are speaking about so much development. People in coastal Karnataka who are upset with the implementation of Yettinahole project are demanding separate state, they raised Tulunadu flag. In Hubballi, a small group unfurled a separate state flag. This clearly shows people are unhappy. Why?
The younger generation do not understand issues properly. We do not take away water meant for Dakshina Kannada. When Cogentrix wanted to set up a power plant, environmentalists opposed it. If we stop projects because some one opposes them, what will happen to development? Who will get justice for people from dryland regions? Siddaramaiah is determined to implement Yettinahole and Mekedatu projects. If these projects are implemented, Mr Siddaramaiah and Mr. Veerappa Moily will get a good name. During implementation, people will oppose them. It is common. Unfurling Tulu flag is a political gimmick. Siddaramaiah will complete both Yettinahole and Mekedatu in 30 months and get a name for himself in history.
What will happen in the Council and ZP and TP elections?
We have proved in the previous elections that we are strong. We will do well in these elections too.
But you lost BBMP polls.
The rural electorate is different. We will sweep the polls.
Did you hold Tipu Jayanti keeping this election in mind?
See, this is a BJP and RSS conspiracy. Tipu Jayanthi is not related to elections. It was BJP’s vote bank politics. They started jayanthis. Did we ask for a holiday on Kanaka Jayanthi? No. For votes, they created this tradition, we had to continue with them.
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