Visit coastal people hit by floods, communal violence: Union Minister Kumaraswamy to K'taka CM

Bengaluru, May 30 (IANS) Coming down heavily on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the situation of communal strife and floods in coastal Karnataka, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy has urged the CM to visit the region immediately and resolve the crisis being faced by the people.

Kumarsawamy issued a press statement on Friday, saying, “Mr Siddaramaiah, enough of your government’s excuses. Visit the coastal region immediately. Give strength and hope to the people shattered by both floods and murders.”

“While the floods may be nature’s fury, the murder spree is a political disaster fuelled by your (Congress) party. As Chief Minister, this is your immediate responsibility,” Kumaraswamy appealed.

He said, “Relentless torrential rains across the state, including the coastal belt, have severely disrupted daily life. People are left in tears. Instead of acting responsibly and wiping their tears, the Congress-led Karnataka government seems desperate to bring blood and tears to their eyes.”

Homes, roads, and bridges have collapsed. Cities, towns, and villages are waterlogged, and people are in deep distress. "What steps has the government taken to protect the lives of people who are already on the brink? What is the point if, after lives are lost to the floods, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah merely instructs ministers to "go visit"? As the saying goes, "What’s the use of bolting the door after the fort has been looted?" What preparations were made before the rains began? Is this what people-centric governance looks like? Is this what it means to walk the talk? Kumaraswamy criticised.

The Union Minister said the Congress government shows no concern about the torrential downpour in the coastal region, but exhibits excessive interest in coastal murders, “not to prevent them, but to extract political gain” even from those tragedies.

“Mr. CM Siddaramaiah, you have been in power for two years. You have spent this time blaming other parties. Since you assumed office, how many murders have taken place in the coastal region? Why haven’t they been curbed? Didn’t one community vote for your party 100 per cent? You have failed to protect them, yet you continue to spew venom against other communities,” Kumaraswamy chided.

“You have turned a once peaceful garden of communities into a garden of venomous snakes,” he underlined.

The coastal Karnataka has been tense following a series of murders, mob lynching and stabbing incidents. The normal life has also been affected by heavy rain in the region.

--IANS

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