Davangere: Former chief minister and leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar on Monday questioned the rationale behind chief minister Siddaramaiah’s decision of appointing 10 legislators as parliamentary secretaries.
Addressing reporters here, Mr. Shettar said such appointments involving huge expenditures were made when farmers were in distress and many had committed suicide owing to drought.
Crores of rupees to be spent as allowances of the new parliamentary secretaries could have been given to the kin of the farmers who had committed suicide. Though 700 farmers had committed suicide, compensation had been given only to 130 families, Mr. Shettar said.
Stating that sugarcane was ready for harvesting, he said sugar factories had fixed the procurement price. The government should have fixed it by convening a meeting of owners of sugar factories and farmers. “I did it when I was CM. Mr. Siddaramaiah is protecting the interests of factory owners,” Mr. Shettar alleged.
Accusing Mr. Siddaramaiah of protecting the corrupt ministers and officials, he said no disciplinary action had been initiated against social welfare minister H. Anjaneya though his wife was trapped in a sting operation by a private TV channel recently.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
