Bengaluru: Ruling Congress and BJP members were locked in a verbal clash in Karnataka Assembly on Friday over alleged cut in funding of centrally-sponsored schemes, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, angry with disruptions, flinging a copy of the budget into the well of the House.
Amidst chaos and charges, the Assembly passed demands for grants by various departments and the money Bill by a voice vote.
The two parties sparred during the Chief Minister's reply to the discussion as he accused the NDA government of reducing funding for centrally-sponsored schemes.
Angered by BJP's repeated disruption and allegations of giving wrong information, Siddaramaih threw a copy of budget into the well of the House, which led to heated arguments between both sides.
Following this, the BJP members entered into the well of the House shouting slogans against the Congress government and the Chief Minister.
As repeated attempts by Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa to convince BJP members to allow Chief Minister to continue with the reply failed, he put the demands and money Bill to vote, and amidst protest and sloganeering they were passed by a voice vote.
In his reply, Siddaramaiah claimed his government is transparent and corruption free.
"Ours is a corruption free, pro-people government. There have been no allegations of corruption against our government in the last two years," he said.
He also measured transparency standard of his government by pointing out that it has handed over six cases till date to CBI while the previous BJP government had not handed over even a single case.
He said last year his government was able to spend 94 per cent of the total budget plan size and added allegations of government being inactive is politically motivated.
He said major reason for not being able to meet 100 per cent is due to reduction in grants from the Centre.
As Chief Minister alleged reduction to the tune of Rs 4,690 crore for centrally sponsored schemes, BJP members objected to it and said he was giving wrong information.
As Opposition leader Jagadish Shettar and BJP Member C T Ravi raised to share information they have collected, Congress members and Ministers objected to it, resulting to a war of words between both the sides, with Siddaramaiah himself leading from the front.
Shettar said as per 14th finance commission, the state has got excess money and Chief Minister is misleading the House.
Responding to this, Siddaramaih said he has written a letter to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely on the reduction in funds and is even ready to take Opposition members to the Finance Ministry to discuss on this.
"For BJP, well-being of the state is not important, but the well being of their party. They should be ashamed of politicising things," he added.
Shettar hit back accusing the Chief Minister of playing politics by not attending NITI Ayog meeting, leading to war of words. Allegations and counter allegations continued with both parties accusing each other of "lying".
BJP members then entered the well of the house shouting slogans against Congress government and the Chief Minister.
