‘Development has taken a back seat’
The Hindu
KALABURAGI
The former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday criticised the BJP-led Government in the State saying that the BJP’s three-year track-record shows that it has incited only communal riots, while development issues have taken a back seat. The development of the State will move in the reverse direction, if the BJP is voted back to power, he said.
Inaugurating a mass marriage ceremony of diverse castes and religion organised by legislator M.Y. Patil in Afzalpur town in Kalaburagi district, Mr. Siddaramaiah lauded Mr. Patil’s political career of five decades and appealed to the people of Afzalpur constituency to support him in the coming elections as he is committed to ensuring the welfare of the people of the region.
“Myself, Mr. Patil and the former legislator B.R. Patil share the same political ideology and, fortunately, opportunity knocked on my doors and I became the Chief Minister. I have always believed in my hard work and not in fate,” he said.
Then, he came down heavily on BJP national general secretary C.T. Ravi for calling him “Siddaramullah Khan”. “I am a Hindu and my parents named me Siddaramaiah. Who is he [Mr. Ravi] to tinker with my identity?” Mr. Siddaramaiah asked.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that the State’s debts stood at around ₹2.42 lakh crore during the Congress regime and, it has climbed to ₹5.10 lakh crore in the last four years under the BJP rule. The State government is paying ₹23,000 crore interest on debts per year, he added.
While residents are worried over deaths due to diarrhoea in Vijayawada, officials still grapple to find the root cause. Contaminated drinking water supplied by VMC officials is the reason, insist people in the affected areas, but officials insist that efforts are on to identify the disease and that those with symptoms other than diarrhoea too are visiting the health camps.