Bengaluru, September 23 (Daily Kiran) : BJP leaders in Karnataka staged a protest on Wednesday near the statue of Kengal Hanumanthaiah at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, targeting the Congress government over the state’s financial condition. They demanded that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar release a white paper detailing the state’s economic status.
Addressing the crowd, Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra accused the Congress government of accruing over ₹4 lakh crore in new debt, pushing the total state debt to around ₹8 lakh crore. He stated, “There is no sign of development apart from borrowing.”
Vijayendra highlighted that during a recent visit to the coastal region, the government lacked funds for new announcements and drought relief. He claimed that the finance department had advised the Chief Minister against making new announcements without ensuring adequate financial resources.
The BJP leader criticized the Chief Minister for making large financial commitments during his travels, which he argued could not be implemented due to the state’s dire financial situation. He described the government as being in an “ICU” state, unable to fund development projects or provide relief to farmers and the poor.
He further alleged that the government was misleading the public through advertising campaigns. Vijayendra claimed that the administration has struggled to provide timely pensions for the disabled, elderly, and widows, and pointed to alleged corruption in the education department regarding the purchase of shoes and socks for students.
He noted that the financial crisis has hindered the government’s ability to recruit teachers and pay salaries on time, while also failing to create job opportunities for the youth. Vijayendra accused the Congress government of attempting to shift the blame for the state’s economic issues onto the central government by calling a special assembly session, rather than addressing its own shortcomings.
The protest saw the participation of several BJP legislators, including Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy.
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