Bengaluru: With his ongoing Grama Vastavya (village stay) programme becoming a bone of contention and the opposition BJP dubbing it a political gimmick on which crores of rupees of state funds were being spent, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday hit back wondering why BJP leaders gave the programme a good rating when he first launched it as CM of a JD(S)-BJP coalition in 2006 and have now suddenly changed their opinion.
The CM who embarked on the first leg of his Grama Vastavya in Chandriki village of Kalaburagi district on Friday, in a statement, rejected BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa's allegation that crores of rupees were being spent on the programme which was meant to be a simplistic one. He said the expenses during the Grama Vastavya were limited to travel cost and basic facilities for stay at a government school.
He agreed that foundations were laid for various projects worth Rs 58 crore at Chandriki village but took pains to explain that these do not come under Grama Vastavya expenses and were developmental projects.
Mr Kumaraswamy who came up with the idea of a village stay programme to take administration to the people and revive the flagging fortunes of the JD(S) soon after the disastrous show of the party in the Lok Sabha polls, also released details of facilities given to 40 villages where he stayed during his tenure as Chief Minister in 2006.
“My concept of Grama Vastavya is not development alone. We have to understand problems and resolve them at once. My earlier Grama Vastavya inspired the ban on arrack and lottery and also helped in the recruitment of over 40,000 teachers,” he said.
“If there is constructive criticism on administrative matters I will consider them seriously and take action. I request Yeddyurappa not to bring down the dignity of the office of leader of opposition by speaking about my personal matters that do not come under the domain of the government,” Mr Kumaraswamy said.
During his previous Grama Vastavya more than a decade ago, Kumaraswamy used to spend the nights at villagers’ houses but this time, he has decided to stay in government schools. On farmer suicides in the state, the CM asserted that these suicides have come down by 30 per cent.
“I want to see a Karnataka where no farmer commits suicide,” he said.
Meanwhile, Congress, the coalition partner of the Janata Dal (Secular), said that the credit for Chief Minister’s outreach programme goes to the entire coalition government and not to the JD(S) alone.
“This is a coalition government, he (Kumaraswamy) is CM for the entire state. If he does Grama Vastavya, will the credit go only to JD(S)? It goes to the entire government,” remarked Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwar, who is from the Congress party.
The second leg of the Chief Minister’s Grama Vastavya at Herur village in Kalaburagi Rural taluk on Saturday was postponed due to heavy rain.
