Credit: Special Arrangement
Kalaburagi: Taunting Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar over his statement that he wished he was born in Kalyana Karnataka owing to flow of funds following the implementation of Article 371(J) of the Constitution, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Monday, “It’s not necessary for you (DKS) to be born here, nor for us to be born in your region (Kanakapura/
Mysuru).”
Kharge added: “We don’t want to become like London or Singapore or America. All we want is at least 75% of the development your constituency or Mysuru has seen. That’s enough for us.”
Kharge said this reacting to Shivakumar’s statement during the foundation laying ceremony for various projects in Yadrami. The deputy chief minister, expressing his happiness over the flow of funds for the development of Kalyana Karnataka under Article 371J, wished that he was born in the region to enjoy the fruits of special status.
Discrimination in grants
Expressing his displeasure over the discrimination in sanctioning of grants, Kharge said, “You (certain constituencies in south Karnataka) took the lion’s share in grants in a buffet system while we (Kalyana Karnataka) have to wait in line for leftovers in Pankthi Oota.”
Teachers' shortage
Stating that the people from Mysuru and Bengaluru are getting quality education and job opportunities, Kharge said the government schools in Kalyana Karnataka are facing severe shortage of teachers.
He urged School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa to give priority to the region while recruiting teachers.
“Development will not be possible without filling vacant posts of the teachers. The children of poor, farmers and working classes in rural areas in our region are not availing of quality education in the absence of teachers. Therefore, people from the region are migrating to Bengaluru to get education,” he
said.