Ahinda is nobody's property, says Eshwarappa

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council K S Eshwarappa said that Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) is nobody’s property.

These communities have to develop and hence, he was organising them, he added.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme in Tumakuru on Saturday, he said the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade has been formed with an intention to bring BJP back to power in the state and not with an intention to become the chief minister.

“When BJP was in power in the state, it had released funds for the development of Ahinda communities. Many mutts had also been granted funds for their development. Now, through the Sangolli Rayanna brigade, we are trying to convince the communities,” Eshwarappa said.

“I am not organising the Ahinda communities against the Congress. I am doing it out of concern for the development of these communities,” he explained.

He accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of not having done anything for Ahinda. In the previous budget, grants of Rs 16,000 crore had been announced. However, only Rs 800 crore has been released. Development cannot occur if officials are pressured to work without releasing the funds required, he said.

“Siddaramaiah has two years remaining in his term as chief minister. He should release more grants for the development of the Ahinda communities in this period at least,” Eshwarappa suggested.

Eshwarappa agreed that there was some dissatisfaction in the matter of selection of office-bearers of the state unit of BJP. He said that the matter would be resolved through discussions and the party would be brought back to power in the state.

“There is a severe lack of drinking water in the state. In such a situation, it is not possible to release water to Tamil Nadu. There has been a decline of 35% in rainfall this year. The crops are drying up. A decision has been taken by the recently held all-party meeting chaired by the chief minister to represent this situation in the Supreme Court with the appropriate statistics,” Eshwarappa added.