The Leader of Opposition, R. Ashok, launched a scathing attack on Karnataka’s Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, and Deputy CM, D. K. Shivakumar, during his visit to Naganur village in Belagavi district on October 3. While engaging with local farmers suffering from extensive flood damage, Ashok pointed out the irony of the leaders’ upcoming visit.
“When our farmers were grappling with the devastating aftermath of the floods, these leaders were conspicuously absent,” Ashok stated. “Yet, they are now scheduled to arrive in Belagavi tomorrow, not to assess the ongoing crisis, but merely to inaugurate development projects and, as he put it, ‘eat biriyani’ before returning to Bengaluru. Our presence here, however, is to genuinely understand and address your hardships, and witness the flood’s impact firsthand.”
Ashok highlighted the prolonged suffering of Belagavi’s farming community over the past two months, noting that district officials like the Deputy Commissioner and tahsildars only appeared in the villages following his own delegation’s visit.
Addressing the State Government’s claims that the Union Government withheld calamity relief funds, Ashok categorically refuted the accusation. He asserted, “The Union Government has fulfilled its responsibilities by releasing crop loss compensation and other essential funds in accordance with National Disaster Response Fund guidelines.”
Furthermore, Ashok accused the State Government of diverting these crucial relief funds, allegedly repurposing them for payouts related to its various guarantee schemes.
Ashok was joined by several prominent leaders, including Lok Sabha member Ramesh Jigajinagi, Rajya Sabha member Iranna Kadadi, MLAs Vithal Halgekar and Shashikala Jolle, and MLCs C. T. Ravi and N. Ravikumar, as they toured the affected areas.