BENGALURU: Alleging a breakdown in law and order machinery, leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, K S Eshwarappa, taunted home minister Dr G Parameshwar on Wednesday about interference in his department, and urged the minister to assert himself in the government.
Speaking on the motion on thanks to the Governor's address in the Upper House, the leader raked up the issue of an increase in incidents of sexual harassment, and charged that the government had failed to check them. The people had lost confidence in the home minister for his failure to curb such incidents. The reason, however, could be interference and meddling in affairs of the department by others, he added.
On release of funds to Karnataka for drought relief projects, Mr Eshwarappa charged that the previous UPA government hardly released funds despite submission of memorandum seeking funds worth crores of rupees. The current NDA government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a grant of Rs 1782 crore which would be released after the budget session of parliament. It was not right on the part of the state government to blame the Union government on all issues. The state government should take the lead in waiver of crop loans of farmers without depending upon Union government, he added.
About the welfare of SCs/STs, he took social welfare minister H Anjaneya to task for not spending even 30 per cent of funds of the total Rs 9000 crore. Of the total Rs 9000 crore released, Rs 6000 crore had been spent.
