The Opposition BJP has decided to complain to the Governor and also approach the court against the Congress government’s decision to form committees of party workers to monitor the implementation of guarantee schemes.
BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra accused the Congress government of trying to “misuse tax payers’ money” for paying Congress workers.
Speaking to the media, he said: “The government thinks hundred times before announcing drought relief for farmers. Though we have an experienced Chief Minister who has presented 14 Budgets, the financial condition of the State has deteriorated. They are finding it difficult even to pay the salaries of the government staff. They do not have money for Legislators’ Area Development Scheme or increasing the honorarium of anganwadi workers. In such a situation, how can they think of using tax payers’ money for paying Congress workers?”
Meanwhile, describing the government’s move as an “irrational and dangerous” step, former Minister and BJP leader S. Suresh Kumar cautioned that it would not only be a financial burden, but would also be detrimental to the State’s interests.
In a release, he wondered if the tax payers’ money was meant for the welfare of Congress workers instead of people of the State. Giving authority to the Congress workers without enlisting responsibilities was an irrational measure, he maintained. He described this as as a “rehabilitation” plan for the Congress workers.
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashok expressed concern that the Congress government, which had allocated a “meagre” drought relief of only ₹100 crore to farmers, was set to spend huge sums on its workers in the name of committees. Mr. Ashok told media persons in Bengaluru that the government should have actually released ₹3,000 crore to ₹4,000 crore to farmers as drought relief. He contended that the government would end up spending nearly ₹150 crore over five years for these committees.
