'Karnataka government is duping people'

Former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy today lashed out at the BJP government charging that it has been “misleading” people on development programmes without releasing funds.

“There can be no development possible under the BJP government in the state. It is not only misleading people but also media”, Kumaraswamy, state unit JDS President, alleged at a press conference here.

He took a dig at chief minister B S Yeddyurappa who is on an “assurance giving” spree, saying that “here is a chief minister who promises Rs 80 crore funds release for a Rs 1400 crore Tungbahdra Modernisation project and set a target to complete it in four years. Even that meagre Rs 80 crore promised is not at all released”, he said.

Stating that there were several such lapses on the part of the Yeddyurappa government, Kumaraswamy, who once shared power with the saffron party in the state, flayed the decision to lay foundatone stone for the Upper Bhadra project on Febraury eight without the project being given any administrative approval or formulation of an action plan.

“BJP government is duping people. It promised Rs 3500 crore for North Karnataka Development in the recent legisalature session at Belgaum. But also admits shortfall in tax revenue collection and has not outlined how it will mobilise resources for development”, he said.

Making a fresh charge at the government he alleged that ‘the Rs 200 crore promised for promoting organic farming was being distributed among BJP and sangh parivar activists at the rate of Rs 2,000 each’, which is a “misuse of public money.”