The Aryavarth Express
Agency(Karnataka): Karnataka’s Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, on Wednesday, made a bold statement asserting he would step down from his position if evidence surfaced showing his administration’s tardiness in seeking drought assistance from the central government. This declaration was in direct response to allegations from Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, suggesting the state had been slow to act.
During a meeting with party affiliates in Bengaluru, Shah highlighted the drought situation in Karnataka, criticizing the state government for a three-month delay in submitting a relief proposal to the central authorities, a request currently under the Election Commission’s review. Shah accused the Congress-led state government of politicizing the issue.
Siddaramaiah refuted Shah’s claims, labeling them as false, and challenged whether the Union Minister would be willing to resign if the accusations were disproven. “In September, we issued the initial memorandum, followed by the central team’s visit in October, who also submitted their findings on October 20,” Siddaramaiah recounted, questioning Shah’s integrity and willingness to step down if proven wrong.
The Chief Minister detailed his administration’s prompt actions, including the submission of three memorandums and the organization of central team visits in October, culminating in a December meeting with the Prime Minister and Amit Shah to discuss relief measures. Despite these efforts, Siddaramaiah lamented the lack of response or aid from the central government, questioning Shah’s moral standing to make such allegations.
Siddaramaiah defended the state’s position, emphasizing the veracity of his and the Revenue Minister’s meeting with Shah, challenging the notion of any deceit on their part. He assured that all relevant documents had been submitted to the Supreme Court as part of the state’s plea for financial support from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for drought management.
Asserting that the NDRF funds belong to the states, Siddaramaiah called on the electorate to hold the BJP accountable in the upcoming elections for their handling of the drought relief efforts.