Bengaluru, Sep 28 (IANS) Former MLA and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kisan Morcha State President A.S. Patil Nadahalli on Monday accused the Karnataka government, including Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and ministers, of failing to take the drought situation seriously.

He demanded that the Chief Minister apologise to the people for his alleged remarks about farmers during the special Assembly session.

Addressing the media at the BJP state office, Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru, Nadahalli said the special session convened to discuss the drought was held merely as a formality.

He alleged that neither the Chief Minister nor most legislators took the discussion seriously.

He said the state was facing a severe drought, with monsoon crops affected by deficient rainfall and the situation likely to worsen without adequate post-monsoon rains. Nadahalli alleged that neither the Revenue Minister nor the Chief Minister provided clear guidance to farmers on measures to deal with the crisis.

“Only eight to ten MLAs, including Aland MLA B.R. Patil, spoke seriously about the drought. When farmers are facing severe distress, legislators did not participate in the discussion with the seriousness required,” he said.

Nadahalli stressed that legislators should have discussed the drought on a non-partisan basis, highlighting its varying impact across coastal Karnataka, Malnad, Mysuru-Karnataka and Kittur-Karnataka regions.

He alleged that the government failed to discuss preventive measures suited to different regions.

“This year’s drought is different and severe. It is a hydrological drought. Earlier droughts were largely confined to agriculture. The legislators have failed to understand the seriousness of the current situation. Lakes have dried up, and groundwater levels have depleted, while water is being stored and used for livestock,” he said.

On the government’s drought relief announcement, Nadahalli criticised the Rs 2,500 assistance announced for farmers. He said when the media asked whether Rs 2,500 was too little, the response was dismissive.

“They said rice had been provided. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided it. They said electricity was being supplied. Farmers are not using that electricity to sleep in air-conditioned rooms. Even electricity is not supplied on time. It is often supplied at 2 or 3 a.m., forcing farmers to go to their fields despite the risk to their lives,” he remarked.

Nadahalli alleged that the Chief Minister’s speech during the session lacked concern for farmers and claimed Shivakumar spoke more about Bengaluru than rural distress. He also accused him of showing a “stepmotherly attitude” towards North Karnataka, alleging irrigation projects had stalled since Shivakumar became Water Resources Minister.

On water resources, Nadahalli said the government should resolve pending legal issues related to land acquisition and alleged that water from the Krishna River could also be supplied to Kolar.

He further alleged that Maharashtra was using water through projects on the Bhima and Krishna rivers, affecting Karnataka’s share.

He questioned the government’s expenditure on Cabinet functioning while providing only Rs 2,500 to farmers.

“The government spends crores on the Cabinet, but gives farmers only Rs 2,500 as relief. When people are suffering, why should ministers and the Chief Minister use government cars?” he asked.

Nadahalli said the government should have passed a resolution to allocate 10 per cent of its revenue expenditure for farmers, which could have enabled compensation of Rs 50,000 to each affected farmer.

He also referred to the Centre’s Kisan Samman scheme, noting that the central government provides Rs 10,000 annually to farmers.

He recalled that during B.S. Yediyurappa’s tenure as Chief Minister, funds were released from the revenue account during floods, and assistance was provided for irrigation and horticultural crops.

Nadahalli demanded that Chief Minister Shivakumar apologise to the people for what he described as derogatory remarks about farmers.

BJP Kisan Morcha state general secretary H.C. Kalmurudappa, state vice-presidents Bharati Mallikarjun and Gurulinganagowda, and state secretary R. Rajesh were present.

–IANS

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