Nearly 100 crore Rs. meant for Muslim welfare remain unutilized, says HDK

Moodbidri, February 13: State president of the Janata Dal (Secular) and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy accused BJP government of fooling minorities by not utilizing the funds allocated for various development projects.

Speaking to reporters here, he said the BJP Government's claims of development in the State were hollow and that the party should seek a fresh mandate if it cannot deliver.

At a press conference held ahead of the district convention of the party, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the BJP Government had been chanting the development mantra, but work on the ground showed that it had “not done much”.

Expenditure

Reading out from the statement of expenditure up to October 2011, Mr. Kumaraswamy said that government departments were classified into categories A, B, C and D depending on the funds spent. Although the State Government had announced funds for several fisheries projects, the Fisheries Department was classified as C category, indicating that funds spent by the department were less. The Department of Agriculture had spent only 28 per cent of the allocated funds and Department of Horticulture only 24 per cent.

The only departments which had spent more than 50 per cent of the allocated funds were the “Kamadhenu [departments]” — those in which there was opportunity for getting a commission, Mr. Kumaraswamy alleged.

'Funds not released'

The BJP Government was trying to woo the minorities by announcing funds for them, but it does not release the money, he charged. Mr. Kumaraswamy claimed the Haj committee had been sanctioned Rs. 50 crore but not even a single rupee had been released. Although Rs. 38 crore had been sanctioned for pre-matriculation scholarships, only Rs. 4.3 crore had been released so far. For post-matriculation scholarships, Rs. 12 crore had been sanctioned, but only Rs. 2 crore had been released, he said.

The BJP Government could not even spend funds allocated by the Union Government for the Multi-Sector Development Plan. The Centre had sanctioned Rs. 16.5 crore, but it was not fully spent, he alleged. This indicated that the BJP Government was not capable of governing the State, he said.

Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda holds 17 portfolios, including key Ministries such as finance, health, revenue and mining.

“The Government is not functioning. If it can sort out its problems and differences of opinion and guarantee at least one year of good governance, let them continue. If not, the BJP should not fear to go to people [to seek a fresh mandate],” Mr. Kumaraswamy said.

Lokayukta controversy

The State Government spent three to four months over the Lokayukta controversy, now it will spend another four months over the Upalokayukta controversy. “This is nothing but an attempt to divert the attention of people,” Mr. Kumaraswamy added.

The Janata Dal (Secular) district convention held at Swaraj Maidan saw a large turnout, although the convention began late.

A number of party heavyweights and new comers such as actor Pooja Gandhi attended the convention. The convention was preceded by a rally that began from the Tribhuvana Tilaka Choodamani Basadi (popularly known as the Thousand Pillar Basadi) and ended at Swaraj Maidan.

The Janata Dal (Secular) national president, H.D. Deve Gowda, who inaugurated the convention, said the party leadership was not drawn from just one caste. There were people from all castes and communities in the leadership.

In what appeared to be a thinly veiled dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mr. Deve Gowda said he would not talk “highly” about one religion while portraying another religion in a derogatory manner.

Mr. Deve Gowda said that the time had come when people would rout the two national parties namely the Congress and the BJP.

Sidelined

JD(S) Dakshina Kannada district unit president M.B. Sadashiva said the Congress had been sidelined and that unlike other parties the Janata Dal (Secular) leaders remained untainted by scams or scandals.

Ms. Gandhi said she had seen first hand the problems that the poor people faced in rural areas and no one helped them. She said the JD(S) worked for such people, prompting her to join the party.