Speaking to mediapersons in Mangalore on Saturday, Mr. Kumar said that if Mr. Gandhi is really concerned about the people of Karnataka, he must press for relief to be sent to the state immediately.
“The state government under the leadership of Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has requested the central government to provide Karnataka with a drought relief package of about Rs. 1,200 crores. We have asked for 3 lakh metric tonnes of rice and 57 thousand metric tonnes of wheat from the central government. Sonia Gandhi too had visited the drought hit areas of our state during her visit one and a half months ago. But in between her visit and Mr. Gandhi's visit today, all that the central government has given us is Rs. 70 crores. They are taking time to send us relief. If Mr. Gandhi is truly concerned about the drought hit areas of our state, he must immediately speak to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and other members of the central leadership and press for immediate relief for the state. He has to give a concrete assurance to our people before he leaves Karnataka. People want relief, not politics”, Mr. Kumar said.
The senior BJP leader also alleged of step motherly treatment from the central government. “The centre has given a package of about a thousand odd crores to Maharashtra's Vidharba but Karnataka has only received mere 70 crores. This is gross injustice and step-motherly treatment being displayed by the centre towards Karnataka”, he said.
Mr. Kumar is in Mangalore campaigning for BJP candidates D H Shankaramurthy and Capt. Ganesh Karnik for the MLC elections.
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