Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday faced embarrassing moments in the Assembly for wrongly arguing that the BJP, during its regime, had not increased honorarium to anganwadi workers and assistants.
The BJP, led by Jagadish Shettar, said on March 21, the chief minister in the Assembly had inaccurately said that the BJP had not increased the honorarium even by a single rupee. Shettar also tried to move a breach of privilege motion against Siddaramaiah on the grounds that he misled the House and sent a wrong message to anganwadi workers. However, the Speaker allowed a preliminary submission on it though he is yet to give a ruling on the admissibility. This is the first time in recent years that a privilege motion was moved against a chief minister. Siddaramaiah was not present when the motion came up for consideration.
The chief minister, while hitting out at the BJP for staging a dharna in the House over the anganwadi workers’ agitation, had stated that the BJP government had not increased the honorarium. He had said that after the Congress came to power, anganwadi workers’ wages was increased by Rs 500 and that of the helpers by Rs 250. When Shettar had said he was misleading the House, the chief minister had dared him to move a privilege motion to prove him wrong.
Shettar, who took the challenge, placed before the House details of increments given by his party’s government. He said during 2008-09, anganwadi workers’ wages were increased by Rs 250 and that of helpers by Rs 125. In 2010-11, workers got Rs 500 more and helpers Rs 250. In 2013-14, it was revised by Rs 500 for workers.
The BJP leader said, “Is it befitting of the chief minister to say that the BJP had not increased wages? What sort of message you are sending to the public? He has misguided the House despite being in a responsible position. Officers may provide statistics, but he should have verified them. Hence, the privilege motion.”
When the Speaker hinted that he may not allow the preliminary submission, Minister Ramesh Kumar said it should be allowed. However, the minister later said the chief minister had no intention to mislead the House. “He is willing to correct himself. Should he be crucified?” he asked. Law Minister T B Jayachandra, while asking the chair to disallow the motion, said Siddaramaiah had mentioned that the BJP had revised the wages by Rs 700.