Daijiworld Media Network - Ramanagara (SP)
Ramanagara, Jul 24: Karnataka chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, said that bus passes would be issued free of cost only to students of government schools. Speaking at a programme held at Channapatna on MondayJuly 23, he said that a meeting of officials to discuss the issuance of bus passes would be held on July 24 and a final decision would be taken.
"We need Rs 900 crore if free bus passes are to be issued to all the students. How can private school students expect us to provide free passes. They have paid donations running into lacs of rupees when getting admission into them. Naturally there is no justification in issuing passes to them," he felt.
Kumaraswamy criticized BJP for playing politics on this issue and organizing students protests with the help of a student organization. "BJP's political gimmicks fail to succeed against me. I know how to play politics too," he quipped. Speaking on the issue of holding of protests at Koppal demanding waiver of all farm loans, he asked the voters why did they forget him when casting their votes. "You forgot about my presence during the election. Now you are holding protests. Having not voted for me, you do not have the moral ground to seek loan waiver. For me, everyone is the same," he said.
Kumaraswamy criticized the media and BJP leaders for branding his budget as having served the interests of only three districts, Ramanagara, Mandya and Hassan. But in reality, out of budget size of Rs 2.18 lac crore, only Rs 300 crore has been reserved for these districts, he clarified, adding that he is prepared for open debate on the grants earmarked for different districts.
Making special mention of Sriramulu and Umesh Katti for seeking statehood for north Karnataka, accusing the government of giving step-motherly treatment to that region, he said that he was the one who had taken assembly session to Belagavi. He reminded them that out of the income of entire Karnataka, Bengaluru contributes 65 percent. He questioned them how would they finance irrigation schemes as their income would be dwindled. He advised them not to play politics by pipping one cast against the other. He said if they support the government properly, development of north Karnataka will not be a remain a far cry.