Speaking in Belagavi on Tuesday, Shivraj Tangadagi, the Minister for Kannada and Culture and Backward Classes Development, unequivocally declared that the state government’s popular “guarantee schemes” would continue without interruption, regardless of any opposition or commentary.
He specifically addressed and dismissed recent critiques from senior Congress MLA R.V. Deshpande, clarifying that Deshpande’s remarks were merely his personal views and did not reflect the government’s stance.
“These guarantee schemes were carefully designed and launched with the primary goal of assisting the less fortunate,” Minister Tangadagi emphasized. “We fulfilled our pre-election commitments, and these initiatives have successfully delivered benefits to a significant portion of the state’s impoverished population. In fact, some of our guarantees have even earned international recognition. Let me be clear: no amount of external commentary will lead to the abandonment of these vital schemes.”
Concurrently, MLA R.V. Deshpande issued a statement on Tuesday to clarify his earlier comments. “I did not make any statement that opposed these schemes,” Deshpande asserted. “My words during a speech in Dandeli have been taken out of context and misunderstood. On the contrary, I actually commended the guarantee schemes, acknowledging that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, an experienced leader, has successfully implemented them for the benefit of the poor, which only strengthens his position. My speech was never intended to be critical of these programs, nor did I imply that the state government was facing financial difficulties because of them. It is truly unfortunate that my remarks were misinterpreted.”