Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is running away on the issue of waiver of crop loans of farmers who are reeling under the effects of drought and floods by laying a condition that the Centre should share 50 per cent of the State’s burden, Janata Dal (Secular) State president H.D. Kumarswamy has alleged.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, he said, “If the Chief Minister is concerned about the plight of the farmers, he should waive at least 50 per cent of the loans without waiting for the Centre to make an announcement on sharing the remaining component.”
Mr. Kumarswamy criticised the eviction of tribal families from the Diddalli settlement in Devamachi Reserve Forests of Kodagu district without offering them a proper rehabilitation package. It had sparked off a protest on Sunday.
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He said that the protest exhibited the State government’s insensitive attitude towards families belonging to the lower strata of society. Yet, none of the four Ministers from the Mysuru district bothered to personally meet the agitating tribals to know their problems. “Should this happen when Mr. Siddaramaiah, who claims to be champions of the backward classes and Dalits, is ruling the State?”
The JD(S) leader also alleged irregularities in the selection of candidates as officers in the regional transport department and questioned the amount fixed for each post. Unfortunately, these irregularities had come to light in sharp contrast to the Chief Minister’s assurances on cleaning the Karnataka Public Service Commission, he said.
The former Minister Basavaraj Horatti, MLC, was present.
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