E-Paper
Sidda’s promise to hike funds for minorities triggers House ruckus
Minister HK Patil, who was present with Siddaramaiah at the Hubballi event, clarified that the chief minister had merely expressed an intent to increase the department’s budget to ₹10,000 crore
Bengaluru: Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs on Wednesday created a ruckus and walked out of the Karnataka assembly in protest against an announcement made by chief minister Siddaramaiah outside the legislature to increase welfare funds fro minorities from ₹4,000 crore to ₹10,000 crore in the coming years.
BJP MLAs accused the chief minister of compromising the sanctity of the House by announcing the increase in the funds at a Muslim community event while the session is going on in Belagavi.
On December 4, addressing a minority community convention at Hubballi, Siddaramaiah had said, “I want to say that this year we have given ₹4,000 crore to the minorities department (in the annual budget), and we will work to increase it every year. Ultimately our intention is to spend ₹10,000 crore through the minorities department.”
Raising the issue in the assembly, BJP MLA V Sunil Kumar said no new announcements should be made outside the House when it is in session. “There is a tradition that when the session is underway, the government can’t announce new policies at any place other than the assembly… however, the chief minister, during an event of the Muslim community in Hubballi, announced that the funds for the minorities will be increased to ₹10,000 crore. As members of the assembly we have a right to know such a decision,” he said.
Other BJP legislators joined him and alleged that the announcement amounted to minority appeasement and breach of privilege and that the government was looking to spend a large amount on Muslims.
Congress leaders came to the chief minister’s defence, leading to a commotion in the assembly. IT minister Priyank Kharge argued that there was nothing wrong with the announcement. “Any financial decision will come to this House for approval anyway,” he said.
Law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil, who was present with Siddaramaiah at the Hubballi event, clarified that the chief minister had merely expressed an intent to increase the department’s budget to ₹10,000 crore. He noted that BJP members could only object if the funds had already been allocated.
Leader of the Opposition R Ashok expressed discontent, pointing out the recent farmer’s suicide and contrasting the CM’s announcement with the lack of a significant declaration for farmers. , “A farmer died by suicide two days ago. The government cannot announce a package of ₹2,000-3,000 crore for farmers, but ₹10,000 crore is announced for minorities. Don’t forget farmers, their curse will not let you be in power even for a minute,” he said as he urged the CM to withdraw his statement.
Ashok said, “We too have worked as ministers and have never announced any government programmes (outside the house) while in session, so I too had a doubt whether the chief minister who has experience of announcing (presenting) 14 budgets has made such a statement. But I myself saw it on a news channel -- CM stating that he will give ₹10,000 crore in this budget.
Congress MLA CS Nadagouda then raised a point of order and said the issue did not concern the House. Protesting BJP lawmakers staged a walkout even as Speaker UT Khader upheld Nadagouda’s point of order.
After the walkout, minister Patil called the controversy unfortunate and said that the chief minister did not specify an immediate allocation of ₹10,000 crore. “We are seeing that something non-existent is being stressed. The forum of the assembly should not become a factory producing something far from the truth… Did the CM say he would allocate ₹10,000 crore this year?” he asked.
However, Sunil Kumar and other BJP members cited media reports to back their argument, to which ruling Congress members including ministers like Dinesh Gundu Rao objected, leading to chaos.
Rao and Congress MLAs went on to allege that BJP’s “problem was not about any convention of the House, but about government plans to enhance spending on minorities like Muslims”. “We give (funds) to all communities, unlike them (BJP).”
As health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao tried to defend the CM’s statement, BJP members objected and demanded clarification from CM himself, leading to a heated argument.
The BJP subsequently walked out of the House, shouting slogans against the government.
However, former minister and BJP MLA ST Somashekar did not follow his party members by choosing not to walk out. While Leader of the Opposition Ashok led the BJP members in exiting the House after Patil’s defence of the chief minister, Somashekar stood firm. Even as his fellow party MLAs urged him to join the walkout, he did not budge.
.
