Flood relief: Centre's delay puts BJP reps in trouble

The delay on the part of the Centre in releasing flood relief funds has put the elected representatives of the ruling party in a tight spot with one Lok Sabha member offering to resign if the situation turns “worse.”

“I am ready to put my papers if the situation worsens in the state on account of further delay in release of flood relief funds,” said G M Siddeshwara, a BJP MP from Davangere. Siddeshwara, a former Union minister, was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of “Gandhi Sankalpa Yatre” in Davangere on Friday.

Siddeshwara said that he had no knowledge about the Centre rejecting Karnataka’s report seeking flood relief funds. He said that all the Lok Sabha members, ministers from the state and the chief minister had apprised prime minister and Union Home minister of the flood havoc in the state and funds would be released to all the affected states shortly.

On the other hand, Health Minister B Sreeramulu tendered his apology to the people for the delay in release of funds.

“I apologise for the delay in release of funds for the flood victims. There had been some confusion in estimating the loss and the state government has set right everything,” Sreeramulu said in Hiriyur, Chitradurga district.

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating Indira Canteen in Hiriyur, Sreeramulu said that no party should play politics over flood relief. He hower, added that the Centre was likely to release funds in a day or two.

“There is no need for taking a delegation to the prime minister. It is not right to say that the delay is on account of Yediyurappa being the chief minister. We have been making every efforts to obtain relief from the Centre under the leadership of the chief minister. Siddaramaiah should stop playing politics over the issue,” Sreeramulu said.

Lok Sabha member Narayanaswamy (Chitradurga) said that providing temporary relief was not a challenge and the Centre had been working on coming up with a permanent solution.

However, Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda was defensive. He reiterated that the issue had been discussed with the prime minister and Union Home minister.

Attributing the delay to more government holidays, Gowda said that the victims would get compensation after Vijayadashami.

Batting for the prime minister, Tourism Minister C T Ravi said that compensation had not been released to none of the 11 states which faced flood this year. “Even last year also the compensation was released after three and half months,” he said.