Pramesh S Jain
*CM Siddaramaiah Has Time to Eat Samosas,But Not to Attend NITI Aayog Meetings.
The Congress government is looting people in Bengaluru under the guise of a garbage cess,making the entire city unaffordable,alleged Opposition Leader R.Ashoka.
Speaking at a press conference,he stated that the state government has no funds left and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has imposed taxes even Tughlaq wouldn’t have dared to.
A garbage tax has been levied, with the cess for a 30×40 ft house increased from Rs.120 to Rs. 720,a 500% hike.
Apartment residents,who manage their own waste disposal,now face a cess increase from Rs.1,800 to Rs. 18,000,he complained.
The garbage cess for malls has risen from Rs.3,600 to Rs.52,500,a 14,483% increase.For hospitals,it has jumped from Rs.9,600 to Rs.2,75,000.
For vacant 50×80 ft plots,the cess has gone from Rs. 600 to Rs. 5,400.Ashoka accused the BBMP of generating revenue from places where no waste is even produced.
User charges for land have increased from Rs.3,600 to Rs.67,000,a 1,761% hike.In 110 villages,millions of landowners must pay lakhs in garbage cess.
Around 2,800 Bengaluru residents have launched an online protest against paying these charges,accusing the Congress government of looting people through BBMP.
No development work has occurred in Bengaluru over the past two years.Despite collecting high taxes,no funds are allocated for development,only for tax collection,Ashoka alleged.
*Absence from NITI Aayog Meeting:
Ashoka criticized CM Siddaramaiah for skipping the NITI Aayog meeting while finding time for Congress meetings in Rajasthan and to meet Rahul Gandhi.
He accused the CM of making baseless allegations against PM Narendra Modi instead of attending the meeting to demand funds.
Siddaramaiah has time to eat samosas and kachoris at a cricket stadium but not to engage with the central government,Ashoka remarked.
Each Chief Minister is given 15-20 minutes to speak at the NITI Aayog meeting,which could have been used to advocate for the state’s people.
If Siddaramaiah complains about lack of funds in the future,he shouldn’t be trusted,as he shows no concern for the state’s people,Ashoka said.
Rain damage has affected various parts of the state,yet no minister has visited the affected areas.No district in-charge ministers have inspected rain-damaged regions.
In Bengaluru,no relief funds have been released despite BBMP inspections. LNo funds have been allocated for Silk Board Circle’s development either.Ministers haven’t even consoled farmers who suffered crop losses.
If the government has any dignity,ministers should immediately visit the affected areas,and the CM should hold a meeting with all district collectors to initiate relief measures,Ashoka demanded.
The government is trying to intimidate the opposition, but we won’t be scared by their hollow threats.We will expose more of their irregularities.The government is rattled by the chargesheet booklet we released,he added.
*Take Action to Control COVID:
COVID is spreading again in the state, and patients are being neglected in government hospitals.Ashoka urged the government to open COVID wards in all hospitals, ensure medicine supply, and bear all treatment costs without burdening patients.
In Mandya,a child died due to the negligence of transport department police,highlighting the lack of discipline in the police force.
Despite having walkie-talkies,they recklessly intercept vehicles on roads.Traffic police have no right to assault people.
Since the child died due to police actions,the government must provide Rs.25 lakh as compensation to the family,Ashoka demanded.
