Congress govt sensitive, BJP insensitive: Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday rejected the Opposition’s allegation that the Congress government in the state lacked sensitivity towards farmers and the common people and he accused BJP governments of insensitivity.

Replying to the opposition’s allegations in Assembly, Siddaramaiah made a comparison between the policies of the present government and those of the previous BJP regimes, accusing the latter of being insensitive and anti-farmer.

“Our government is sensitive. The earlier BJP government was insensitive. Yediyurappa reduced the rice given under the Anna Bhagya scheme and even resorted to firing when farmers demanded fertilisers.” Siddaramaiah said.

The previous BJP government had also discontinued welfare-oriented schemes such as Anugraha and Krushi Bhagya, the CM alleged. “Those schemes were stopped by the BJP, but our government has followed a humane and sensitive approach,” he said.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, 36 people died due to lack of oxygen in Chamarajanagar but your government said only three died. Was that your sensitivity?” he asked.

Referring to sugarcane farmers, the chief minister said that while the Centre had fixed the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), the State government held negotiations with protesting farmers and fixed a price of Rs 3,300 per tonne, Siddaramaiah said.

“Even though this decision imposed an additional burden of Rs 300 crore on the State, the government responded to the farmers’ demands,” he said. On support to maize growers, Siddaramaiah said the Centre had fixed the Minimum Support Price (MSP) at Rs 2,400. “After discussions with farmers and factory owners, the State government made arrangements to purchase 40 lakh metric tonnes of maize and fixed an additional Rs 250 per quintal, thereby addressing the farmers’ problem,” he said.

Comparing Union budget sizes, Siddaramaiah told the House, “During the UPA government’s ten-year tenure from 2003-04 to 2013-14, the total Union Budget size was Rs 95,21,493 crore. Under the NDA government, from 2014-15 till now, it has risen to Rs 3,80,95,527 crore.”

Responding to criticism that his government had burdened people through price hikes, the chief minister said the allegation was misleading. “Even though there have been price revisions in the budget over the last three years, compared to other states, the increase is significantly lower. The allegation of excessive taxation is far from the truth,” he said.