CM promises to release pension grant dues to HDMC

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has assured that the Finance Department would soon release the pending pension grants to the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC).

"The BJP leaders are trying to politicise the issue of pension grant arrears. We have already received the proposal, and I have asked the Finance Department secretary to pay the arrears to the HDMC.

In a few days, the HDMC would get the amount. The amount was pending because of the error of BJP-ruled HDMC itself. The BJP will be disappointed, as the pension grant arrears would be paid to the HDMC shortly. Whenever I come here, I hear about this issue," he said.

Speaking after laying foundation stones and inaugurating different works in Hubballi-Dharwad East Assembly constituency, at a function held at Gangadhar Nagar here on Sunday, Mr Siddaramaiah expressed discontent about Mayor D K Chavan's act of not receiving him during his visit to the City.

"Mayor welcoming the chief minister is protocol. I do not know whether the mayor has this knowledge or not. I cannot say that I will not receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visits the State," he said.

The chief minister also assured to sanction 2,000 more houses for the constituency, and to provide funds to develop the hockey stadium at Settlement.

'No anti-incumbency'

"There is no anti-incumbency wave against us, as we fulfilled all the promises made in 2013 election manifesto and introduced additional schemes also. Therefore, we won Gundlupet and Nanjangud by-elections, and since then, State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa is talking desperately as if he has lost the mental balance," Mr Siddaramaiah said, challenging the BJP leaders to tell how many assurances mentioned in BJP manifesto for 2014 Lok Sabha elections and 2013
Assembly elections were fulfilled.

When he was the chief minister, Mr Yeddyurapa looted the State and went to jail. Now, he is delivering dialogues like 'giving in writing in his blood' and 'changing his name'.

People would not believe him even if he give his life, and his 'Mission 150' has become Mission 50 now. He has nothing to say about his achievements except giving bicycles and sarees. He visited Dalit's houses just because of elections, and he did not do so when he was the chief minister," Mr Siddaramaiah criticised.

On Yogi's visit

"I am son of this soil, and we need not learn lessons from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. We celebrate 26 Jayantis, and Tipu Jayanti is one among them. We started celebrating Krishna Jayanti and not the BJP. BJP leaders are shameless and they bring people like Yogi Adityanath to spoil harmony and co-existence here," Mr Siddaramaiah charged.

Has the BJP taken the contract for the protection of Hindus? We are all Hindus, and 'Rama' is in my name itself. BJP leaders are prejudiced, and people should teach them a befitting lesson, he noted.

He also criticised the NDA government at the Centre, charging that it is anti-poor and pro-rich, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is telling mere lies.

Seeking another chance for the Congress to run the government in the State, he also asked people to support MLA Prasad Abbayya in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Urban Development Minister T Roshan Baig also charged that the BJP leaders were trying to divide people and create tension.

MLA Prasad Abbaya also spoke. District in-charge Minister Vinay Kulkarni, Labour Minister Santosh Lad, MLC Shrinivas Mane, former ministers S R Morey, A M Hindasgeri, former MLC Veeranna Mattikatti, and others were present.

The chief minister also handed over Rs 25 lakh compensation cheque to the wife of slain CRPF soldier Manjunath Jakkanavar of Mangundi, and he also symbolically presented certificates to some beneficiaries of government schemes.