Belagavi. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President DK. BJP leader Vijayendra has hit back at Shivkumar on Thursday. DK Shivkumar had said that state BJP president and MLA BY. Vijayendra is the ‘collection king’ and has tarnished the name of his father and former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. BJP leader Vijayendra, while speaking to the media, asked, “Is the government treasury empty or not?”, and warned that no one should try to intimidate him.
He said, “I am an elected representative and state president of a national party.” He said that Deputy Chief Minister Shivkumar should avoid talking about corruption. BJP leader Vijayendra said that if someone asks who is the mastermind of corruption in Karnataka politics, then the Congress leader himself will take the name of his party. He said that he will reveal the alleged conspiracy against his father and former Chief Minister Yediyurappa in the coming days.
He demanded that Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, being in a responsible post, if he has the courage, should come to the state assembly and answer the opposition’s questions. He also warned Deputy Chief Minister Shivkumar to exercise restraint while speaking about himself. BJP leader Vijayendra also said that under the current Congress-led state government, the freedom fighters of Mandya district have not been given their honorarium for the last eight months and asked the reason behind it. He also accused the Congress-led state government of trying to suppress the voice of the opposition through the Hate Speech Regulation Bill.
BJP leader Vijayendra said that the state government is also trying to control the voice of journalists through this bill. He said, “If someone expresses his opinion on social media, they are trying to suppress it and are even sending people to jail for seven to eight years. This is an undemocratic step and we (BJP) will oppose it.” He alleged that Assembly Speaker UT Khadar was adopting “undemocratic” methods.
BJP leader Vijayendra said that Karnataka Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh has insulted the voters of the coastal region of the state and said that BJP will insist on discussion on this bill after the commencement of the House meeting. He said that the Congress-led state government is trying to create a situation like the Emergency of 1975, a point which was also highlighted by Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader R Ashok.
Responding to a question, BJP leader Vijayendra said that even after two and a half years, 2.5 lakh government posts are vacant and no recruitment has been done. He alleged that the potholes had not been filled and cited the suicide of an unemployed youth from Jagalur taluk in Davangere district. He accused the state government of delaying recruitment in the name of internal reservation and criticized the Congress leadership for getting angry over raising the issue of empty treasury.
BJP leader Vijayendra also criticized the state government’s treatment of a player from the Chief Minister’s home district. He said that Chaitra B, a young “Kho Kho” player, has represented the country 32 times at the national and international level. “Neighboring states have given awards worth Rs 1 crore or Rs 2 crore to such talents. The shameful Congress-led government has given him only Rs 5 lakh,” he alleged, adding that the athlete has reportedly returned the amount to the state government.
BJP leader Vijayendra asked, “If the treasury is not empty, then what does it show?” Earlier on Thursday, taking strong exception to state BJP president Vijayendra’s allegation that the Congress-led state government was “looting the state to fund the Congress high command”, Deputy CM Shivakumar hit back sharply and called Vijayendra the real “collection king”. Shivakumar had said, “If there is anyone who deserves to be called ‘Collection King’, it is BY Vijayendra. It is because of him that his father’s (former CM BS Yediyurappa) name got tarnished. He should not forget this.”
