Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Feb 27: The opposition in unison, derided the chief minister Yeddyurappa during budget discussions in the assembly session on Thursday February 26, for trying to justify his action in giving grants to Maths, by saying that "the government has been sanctioning grants for the development of Kaginele, Budh Vihar in Gulbarga and Haj pilgrimage too".
Siddaramaiah, Congress leader, criticized the government for making caste-wise allocations of grants by announcing grants for various Maths in the state. Intervening in the discussion, Yeddyurappa reminded Siddaramaiah that the latter had taken part in the programme organized to develop Kaginele in his company and seen for himself the development that has taken place there. "I believe that money spent on developing centres of the Lord will augur well for the state's future," he commented.
Congress members rose to their feet to oppose this statement. Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge urged the chief minister to build dams which are like modern temples. He said that the grants for irrigation have suffered because of the allocations made for Maths.
The chief minister argued that lot of development has taken place in drinking water, roads, electricity supply etc., because of the grants made to Budh Vihar in Gularga. He also gave the example that the union government and the state had together spent Rs 120 crore for the Sikh community festival in Bidar.
Siddaramaiah said that the places of great leaders like Kanakadasa were being developed not because of their affinity to the God but because they were social reformers.