Karnataka deputy CM accuses BJP of silencing state's voice in Parliament

Karnataka deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday accused the BJP of not allowing his brother and Congress MP D.K. Suresh to raise his voice in Parliament on injustice meted out to the state.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, he said: "MP Suresh was not allowed to speak about injustice to Karnataka in Parliament today. They adjourned the session as soon as BJP MP Tejasvi Surya finished his points without giving a chance to the lone Congress MP from Karnataka."

"It is a pity that BJP MP Tejasvi Surya did not speak on behalf of the state in the House though given an opportunity. The BJP MPs must be ashamed of not raising their voice for the state in Parliament. While MLAs, MLCs and MPs from Karnataka are in Delhi to raise the voice for Karnataka, the BJP MPs are refusing to do so," he said.

Asked about BJP leaders saying that the financial numbers given out by the Karnataka government are wrong, he said: "We are stating the facts. The BJP demanded for a white paper on this in the House, we will present a white paper on this.

"We have not prepared the Union Budget, it was done by the BJP government at the Centre. The same budget had allocated Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra project and the Finance Commission had recommended about Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 crore for Bengaluru. Has this been given to the state?"

Shivakumar also said the Centre has not released any funds for drought relief even though the chief minister and revenue minister have submitted a detailed report.

About Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s statement that the Centre has released Rs 6,000 crore for drought relief in the state, he said: "They haven’t given a single rupee. The chief minister will give an answer to this claim in the upcoming Assembly session."