BJP demands removal of Congress government over ads critical of VB-G RAM G Act

The BJP has demanded the removal of the Congress government in Karnataka for publishing advertisements critical of the VB-G RAM G Act, which violated Supreme Court guidelines barring ‘politically partisan’ advertisements by spending taxpayers’ money.

Addressing a press conference in Mysuru on Thursday, BJP spokesperson M.G. Mahesh said the advertisements issued by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj of the Government of Karnataka were a “fittest case” for removal of the Congress government in the State by invoking Article 356 that paves the way for imposition of President’s Rule.

He said the Congress government in Karnataka, for the sake of its selfish political gains, had violated constitutional provisions and misused taxpayers’ money for the advertisements to extract “political revenge” against the Union Government.

Mr. Mahesh also criticised the Congress government for dragging the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which has no connection to the scheme, into the matter.  

The VB-G RAM G Act, short for Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar Ajeevika Mission Grameen, was brought in by the BJP-led government at the Centre. “This is aimed at asset creation so that villages also progress”, he said, justifying the scheme.

The Congress, which is accusing the Centre of disregarding Mahatma Gandhi, is itself not adhering to the ideals of Gandhiji, he claimed. “Gandhiji had advocated a ban on liquor. But, the Congress government recently announced that it would give more than 500 liquor licenses in the State”, he said.

Besides, the chief of the liquor shops association in the State had alleged that Excise Minister R.B. Thimmapur had collected a whopping ₹6,000 crore bribe from liquor dealers, he alleged.

The Congress government, he alleged, had failed to discharge its constitutional duty in the State. The government, which is neck-deep in corruption, has not taken up any developmental work.

Muda case

Fielding queries on the special court’s decision to accept the ‘B’ report submitted by the Lokayukta police in the investigation into alleged irregularities in allotment of Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife, Mr. Mahesh said the special court’s decision does not completely absolve the Chief Minister and that the matter will reach the higher courts.

If Mr. Siddaramaiah was innocent, Mr. Mahesh sought to know the reason behind his wife’s surrendering all 14 sites allotted to her by MUDA.