Ballari Chalo Padayatra: BY Vijayendra Calls Congress an ‘Advertisement Government’, Targets Guarantees, Farm Loans and Street Vendor Evictions
Karatagi, Koppal district/Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra on the fifth day of the party’s Ballari Chalo padayatra accused the Congress government of failing to deliver its guarantees effectively and described it as an “advertisement government”, while raising issues ranging from farm loans and welfare payments to rural transport, staffing shortages and the eviction of street vendors in Bengaluru.
Speaking to the media at the APMC Yard in Karatagi, Vijayendra said the BJP’s campaign was aimed at “waking up” the government and the Chief Minister, whom he accused of being in a deep sleep.
He alleged that the Congress government had spent the past three years extensively publicising its guarantee schemes while failing to address other issues. He said the Congress was under the illusion that it would return to power and claimed that people across sections had been treated unfairly by the government.
Vijayendra also said ruling-party legislators themselves were saying the government had not “taken off” and urged the administration to focus on the poor and farmers.
Referring to the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, Vijayendra alleged a ₹5,000-crore irregularity and claimed that neither the Chief Minister nor ministers had provided an explanation. He also claimed that the issue had been mentioned in the Accountant General’s report.
He questioned the functioning of guarantee committees constituted at the district and taluk levels, alleging that public money was being spent after appointing their chairpersons and according them Cabinet rank. He asked what the committee chairpersons had been doing if irregularities of such a scale had occurred.
Vijayendra alleged that eligible beneficiaries had not received Gruha Lakshmi payments and questioned who would be held responsible.
Turning to the Shakti scheme, he said the government was giving it extensive publicity but alleged that rural areas did not have enough buses, causing difficulties for schoolchildren. He recalled that bicycles had been distributed to students when B.S. Yediyurappa was Chief Minister and accused the Congress of discontinuing that support.
He also claimed that red buses were operating without adequate passengers and incurring losses.
Vijayendra said the government had failed to strengthen employment opportunities and alleged shortages of teachers and doctors in North Karnataka. He said schools in the region lacked teachers and hospitals lacked doctors, while major industries had also not been established in the region.
On the Anna Bhagya scheme, Vijayendra alleged that the Congress government had failed to provide the promised quantity of rice and accused it of cancelling ration cards belonging to lakhs of poor people to mobilise funds for its guarantees.
He further alleged that old-age pensions and pensions for persons with disabilities were not being paid properly and that milk incentives provided during the BJP government had also not been continued.
Vijayendra accused the Congress government of increasing the availability of liquor to raise revenue for its guarantee schemes. He alleged that liquor was being allowed to be sold widely and questioned how much money was being taken back from families after providing ₹2,000 under Gruha Lakshmi.
He claimed that the BJP had provided better guarantees through irrigation projects and accused the present government of failing to create jobs for young people and diverting funds meant for Dalits to guarantee schemes.
On farm debt, Vijayendra demanded that the state government waive loans taken by farmers from cooperative institutions falling under its jurisdiction. He accused the Chief Minister of avoiding responsibility and shifting the blame to the Centre, and questioned the purpose of having a government with a strong legislative majority if it could not support people.
Responding to a question about Bengaluru, Vijayendra criticised the eviction of street vendors, describing it as one of the Congress government’s major actions in the city. He said vendors belonging to all communities had been removed without alternative arrangements and demanded that the government provide them with suitable facilities, warning that otherwise it would face their anger.
Vijayendra also accused the Congress of having filed 30 criminal cases against B.S. Yediyurappa and alleged that there had been attempts to politically finish the former Chief Minister. He said Minister Tangadagi had no standing to speak about Yediyurappa.
Claiming that the Ballari Chalo padayatra was increasingly turning into a people’s movement, Vijayendra said the Chief Minister had become frustrated by its success. He referred to the Chief Minister’s aerial inspection of drought-affected areas and claimed that the padayatra had compelled him to visit North Karnataka wearing a green shawl, calling it a victory for the BJP campaign.
Former minister B. Sriramulu, former MLA Anil Benake, party leaders K. Virupaksha and district president Naveen Gulagannavar were present.
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