Siddaramaiah faces tough questions from Muslim MLAs at CLP meeting

Belgaum, Nov 27: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had to face some tough questions from a section of his party legislators, especially Muslims, as it did not like the government getting involved in controversy over the move to ban superstitious practices, implementing Shaadi Bhagya scheme and excursion for backward classes and minority students.

At the Congress legislature party meeting held here on Tuesday, the legislators hailing from the coastal and Malnad regions reportedly told the chief minister that the controversy over the plans to ban superstitious practices has caused damage to the party. The RSS workers, they reportedly said, are working round the clock, spreading canards and using the controversial issue to weaken the Congress. The government could have handled the issue better and prevented damage to the party, many legislators from the coastal and the Malnad regions are learnt to have opined at the meeting.

Muslim MLAs, including Rafiq Ahmed, R Roshan Baig and Tanveer Sait, are learnt to have said that the government should have consulted the community leaders before implementing Shaadi Bhagya scheme. Though the scheme has turned into a huge controversy, the benefit the minorities get from the scheme is only marginal. The government has earmarked a meagre Rs five crore for the scheme. Only 1,000 beneficiaries across the State will get Rs 50,000 each. In other words, there will be only 10 to 15 beneficiaries in each Assembly constituency. Hence, the allocation under the scheme should be hiked. Baig reportedly said that at the most, a couple of families could be helped by extending the benefit in his constituency while leaving other aspirants unhappy.

They wanted Siddaramaiah to take them into confidence before announcing major schemes which would have to be implemented by them as they would have to face a plethora of questions from their constituents.

Ministers too criticised

At the meeting, the council of ministers is understood to have come under criticism from a section of the legislators for not coming forward to defend the government and the chief minister on various issues including the policy decisions he has taken.

The legislators, mostly Siddaramaiah loyalists, sought to know why the ministers keep mum when the Opposition parties attack the government in the legislature. The government has been implementing several popular schemes. The Opposition parties are envious of the government. Hence, they are trying to find fault with its schemes. But, the ministers are acting as if they do not belong to the government, the legislators are learnt to have said.

Among the MLAs who expressed their ire were M K Somashekar, A Manju and S T Somashekar. Upset with the MLAs' accusations, some ministers took objection to the charges and argued that they have been properly defending the government. The effect of the happenings in the Congress legislature party meeting was later evident in the Assembly with several ministers and Congress MLAs supporting the chief minister in defending the government on the illegal mining issue.