BJP ignored Anganwadis, says Siddaramaiah, faces privilege

Bengaluru: The BJP moved a privilege motion against  Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday for claiming it had not released funds for anganwadi workers during its stint in power in the state.

Moving the privilege motion, opposition  leader, Jagadish Shettar accused the Chief Ministe of blatantly lying in the House during the discussion on anganwadi workers, who were agitating for a pay hike. "Although he repeatedly claimed that the BJP government did not give any funds for anganwadi workers, it had revised their salaries in the years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-2012.  One time it gave them a hike of  Rs. 500 and at another of Rs. 200," Mr. Shettar said, accusing the Chief Minister of trying to tarnish the image of the BJP.

While reserving his ruling , Speaker K.B. Koliwad, recalled that the  CM had corrected himself later by  saying the BJP government had released funds for the anganwadi workers.  

Health and Family Welfare Minister K. Ramesh Kumar said while the opposition had every right to move a privilege motion to nail the government, in the present case Mr Siddaramaiah had admitted to  making an error and  not tried to deliberately harm the image of the BJP.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra too argued that the privilege motion did not hold water as  the CM  had rectified his error and provided the correct figures on the salary hikes given to anganwadi workers during BJP rule in the state.

Ananth, Kharge spar over Anganwadi stir  
The Union government and the Congress on Thursday sparred over  protests by Anganwadi workers in Karnataka, with Union Minister Ananth Kumar saying the Congress govt  was not doing enough for them.  The issue was raised by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge in the Lok Sabha who urged the Centre to increase the honorarium for them. Warning that there would be a larger agitation if the issues are not addressed, Mr Kharge  said the Centre has reduced the allocation towards anganwadi workers which has increased the burden on the state. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar,said the state was not giving what should be given to the workers.