Karnataka BJP protest: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers on Tuesday held a protest against the Congress, alleging that the newly-formed state government is not delivering on its five poll guarantees as promised during the election campaigning. The BJP's protest is also in response to Karnataka's Animal Husbandry and Veterinary sciences minister K Venkatesh's statement that "What is wrong with slaughtering cows." He had said that if buffaloes and oxen can be slaughtered, why cannot cows?
The previous BJP government in Karnataka had passed the controversial Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020 amid opposition. The saffron party projected it as the primary agenda of the party. The new law bans the slaughter of bulls, bullocks, oxen and calves.
BJP condemns Venkatesh's statement
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai condemned the statement and said in a series of tweets that Indians are emotionally connected with cows and worship them as a mother. “Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh’s statement is shocking. We condemn his statement. We Indians have an emotional connection with the cow and worship them as a mother,” Bommai said.
The law proposes stringent punishment and penalties and it criminalised the violation of the act. With full blessings of the BJP government cow vigilantes carried out attacks in various parts of the state, especially in the coastal region resulting in several deaths.
Congress promises to implement all 5 guarantees
Earlier on June 2, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that all five guarantees which were promised in the Congress manifesto will be implemented in the current financial year at a cost of approximately Rs 50,000 crore every year.
The announcement comes after a cabinet meeting chaired by CM Siddaramaiah and said, "We held a cabinet meeting. We discussed all five promises thoroughly. We have decided that all five guarantees will be implemented in the present financial year."
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The 5 guarantees promised by Congress:
- 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti)
- Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi)
- 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya)
- Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (Yuva Nidhi)
- Free travel for women in public transport buses (Uchita Prayana
Opposition accuses Congress of cheating voters
However, the Opposition BJP and the JD(S) have however accused Congress of trying to cheat voters after coming to power by attaching conditions to avail of the guarantee schemes -- which were not mentioned ahead of the polls. Senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said the ruling party should not push the state into financial hardship to implement its guarantee schemes.
(With inputs from agencies)
