Bengaluru, Dec 21 (IANS): Karnataka Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka on Saturday said the Congress-led government yielding to form committees to look into the Waqf row and maternal deaths during the recently concluded winter session is a "victory" for the BJP.
Addressing a press conference at Vidhana Soudha, Ashoka said that "presenting evidence in the Assembly over the Waqf board encroaching on the properties of Hindus and farmers has led to a significant victory".
"The government, pressurised by the BJP's fight, has decided to form a committee. Additionally, the case of maternal deaths has been handed over for judicial investigation," he said.
The Belagavi session was initially scheduled for 10 days but reduced to nine days due to the Kannada Literary Festival.
The BJP discussed issues like the Waqf row, maternal deaths, funding discrepancies, and North Karnataka-related problems, he said.
"I spoke for two hours in the Assembly with detailed evidence about the Waqf Board issue. I explained how the British, starting from their era to the tenure of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, systematically used Muslims as a vote bank,” Ashoka said.
"Instead of hoisting the national flag, a green flag is raised. In Bidar, 560 acres of a village have been marked as Waqf Board property. After presenting all this evidence, the government relented and promised to form a committee under a retired judge,” Ashoka underlined, adding: "This is a victory for the BJP’s fight. Farmers who have faced injustice can now submit their grievances. We have brought the Waqf Board issue to a logical conclusion."
He further said: "The Assembly extensively discussed maternal and neonatal deaths. I submitted evidence regarding expired medicines and demanded the resignation of the health minister. The government has agreed to a judicial inquiry into the matter, which is another victory for the BJP’s efforts in the Assembly.
"Over 30 BJP MLAs spoke on the issues facing North Karnataka. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah must stop making empty promises. In the previous session, he spoke for over an hour and a half, announcing industrial projects for districts like Bidar, Dharwad, Vijayapura, and Kalaburagi."