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BJP to protest Cong’s ‘failed’ poll promises
Speaking to the media at the BJP office in Bengaluru on Sunday, Narayan asserted that the Congress, which came to power by assuring guarantees in May, has failed to fulfil its promises.
Principal opposition in Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to stage a protest both inside and outside the legislative assembly on July 4, demanding the effective implementation of the Congress’s pre-poll guarantees without conditions, former minister deputy chief minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan said on Sunday.
Speaking to the media at the BJP office in Bengaluru on Sunday, Narayan asserted that the Congress, which came to power by assuring guarantees in May, has failed to fulfil its promises.
The former minister said that the BJP to ready to fight against this and will launch a ‘stop cheating, implement guarantees’ protest on July 4.
In the run-up to the elections, the Congress had promised 200 units of free power to all households under the Gruha Jyothi scheme, ₹2,000 a month to each woman head of the family under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, free travel for women in government-run buses under the Gruha Shakti scheme, ₹3,000 a month to unemployed graduates and ₹1,500 a month to unemployed diploma graduates for two years under the Yuva Nidhi scheme and 10kg food grains to each member of a below poverty line (BPL) family under the Anna Bhagya scheme.
The Congress government has already launched the ‘Gruha Shakti’ scheme, which will provide free travel for women in public transport buses. Two more guarantees - cash for beneficiaries in place of the additional 5 kg of rice under the ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme, and 200 units of free electricity to households under the ‘Gruha Jyothi’ scheme — came into effect on Saturday. The application process for the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme is likely to start on July 14 and it is scheduled to be launched on August 15.
The Karnataka assembly session is scheduled from July 3 to 14, which will also see the new government tabling a fresh budget. The Congress government is facing hiccups in the implementation of multiple schemes that were a part of their election manifesto in the southern state.
“After the Congress party came to power, there has been a lack of confidence in the implementation of the guarantees. We will fight inside and outside the House, demanding the implementation of the guarantees without conditions. They have increased electricity rates by more than 50%,” Narayan said, adding that under the Congress government, “the state is witnessing price rise and corruption”.
Narayan further criticised the Congress government for struggling to give 10 kg of rice as promised.
The former minister also slammed the Shakti scheme alleging that it has resulted in a shortage of buses across the state. “There are not enough buses for the Shakti scheme. Students and commuters have been inconvenienced.”
Last week, former chief minister B S Yediyurappa said that the Congress government must implement all its five guarantees in its full scope or relinquish power. While attributing BJP’s poll debacle to the Congress’ guarantees, Yediyurappa said the saffron party will not take these promises lightly as people are waiting for them to be implemented.
Reacting to the protests, chief minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said that the government would implement the five guarantees without fail. “We will implement the five guarantees announced during the election no matter how difficult it may be. No matter who tries to play games, we will pay for all five schemes in this year’s budget. Our five guarantees transcend caste and religion.”
“As long as I am in power, I will strive for the prosperity of the oppressed class, Dalits, minorities and poor people of all castes,” Siddaramaiah added.
On Sunday, women and child development minister Laxmi Hebbalkar clarified that the Gruha Lakshmi scheme would be launched soon and an announcement in the regard would be made by July 4.
“Gruha Lakshmi will be implemented from August. We are keeping our word. We will work as per the expectations of the people of the state in the coming days,” Hebbalkar added.
