Bharatiya Janata Party State unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa has criticised the State government for what he felt was its utter failure in taking up drought relief works.
“The government is dead and officials have gone mad. Farmers are committing suicide, youth are migrating for jobs, women are spending hours every day to collect water and cattle are desperate for fodder. But the government is blind to all this. We can only conclude that the government is dead,” he said.
“While the people are dying, officials are enjoying their time in air-conditioned offices. They are not starting works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act, they are not supplying tanker water, and they are failing to set up ‘goshalas’ and fodder banks. They are not taking up dredging and cleaning of wells and tanks. I think all officials have gone mad,” he said.
He came down on Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H.K. Patil for saying there was no drought in the State. “How can a senior Minister say that when the State government has declared 136 taluks drought hit? If there was no drought in the State, why did the government suspend 20 officials for not neglecting drought relief works?,” Mr. Yeddyurappa said.
Accusation
He accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other Ministers of staging a drama in the name of drought inspection. “Officials bring a few labourers a few hours before the visit of Ministers, only to take them away later. Who are they trying to fool?,” Mr. Yeddyurappa asked. He, however, felt that suspending officials could affect their morale.
Mr. Yeddyurappa said that the Chief Minister began his State tour only after he announced that he would tour drought areas. “Otherwise, even Mr. Siddaramaiah was not inclined to visit these districts. But now the Chief Minister is rushing through his tours. He is not meeting farmers, nor seeking feedback from them,” he said.
To a question, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that setting up the Anti-Corruption Bureau was a retrograde step. “Mr. Siddaramaiah has set up the agency to protect the corrupt, not to punish them,” he added.
Bharatiya Janata Party State unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa’s itinerary on Wednesday was carefully planned to include areas of interest to leaders close to him. He toured Bidar Rural, Aurad and Bhalki before moving to Kalaburgi district. He made two stops in Ashtur village, inspecting a well that has been recently cleaned and spoke to some women near the gram panchayat. Ashtur is part of Chitta Zilla Panchayat Circle, represented by Shakuntala Beldale, former office-bearer of the BJP women’s wing State unit. Her son, Shailendra Beldale, had fought Assembly polls on Karnataka Janata Paksha ticket in the last polls.
Another leader who joined the KJP soon after its formation was D.K. Sidram, former zilla panchayat member. He too contested unsuccessfully from Bhalki on KJP ticket, though he got more votes than the BJP nominee there. Mr. Yeddyurappa interacted with farmers in Bhalki in the evening.
Aurad MLA Prabhu Chauhan is said to be close to Mr. Yeddyurappa, though he had not followed the former Chief Minister into the KJP.
Mr. Yeddyurappa who had vowed to conduct the tour by train, flew from New Delhi on Wednesday. He began his day with a morning walk around the government guesthouse in Habshikot area in Bidar Old City.
Post breakfast, Mr. Yeddyurappa hit the road to reach the villages. He left for Kalaburagi in a sports utility vehicle.
