Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has pledged to release Rs five crore for disaster relief and rehabilitation in flood-ravaged Himachal Pradesh. However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition BJP, which slammed the Congress government for swiftly announcing Rs five crore aid package for a “faraway state” while abandoning its own flood victims.

In a letter to his Himachal Pradesh counterpart Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured that the people of Karnataka stand in solidarity with the people of HP in this hour of distress.

“As a gesture of solidarity and support, the Government of Karnataka has decided to release a contribution of Rs 5 Crore towards disaster relief and rehabilitation efforts in your state. While we know that no sum can ever truly compensate the human and material losses suffered, it is our earnest hope that this assistance will bring some immediate relief to the affected families,” he added.

Targeting Siddaramaiah over the announcement, the Karnataka unit of the BJP in a post on ‘X’ sought to know from the chief minister if his compassion was meant to impress the party high command or just to save his chair? “Immediately distribute relief to the flood victims of Karnataka, and also provide additional compensation to the families of the innocent children who died in Hassan,” it added. BJP MP from Mysuru, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar has termed the Karnataka government’s decision to release the aid to Himachal Pardesh as “political”. “CM @siddaramaiah avare, several North Indian states are reeling under floods. Yet your government announces Rs 5 crore only for Himachal, where Congress is in power. Earlier too, when Wayanad in Kerala faced floods, you rushed to release aid from Karnataka’s treasury. Clearly, your priorities are political, not humanitarian,” he said, in a post on ‘X’.