The Bangalore Metro Reporter
IN THE NAME OF DRAUGHT!
DISGUISED AS DRAUGHT YATRA, BJP STARTS ITS ELECTION CAMPAIGN!
The drought like situation in the state was since the beginning of the year. By April end, 173 taluks were officially stated under severe drought. The late rains provided some relief but still, some districts are severely suffering. In fact, a detailed and threadbare discussion had taken place in the Assembly and council during the budget session.
But, the state government cannot take the stand that there is drought so much so that it has now sent three teams headed by former CMs Yedurappa and D.V.Sadananda Gowda and BJP National Secretary Anantha Kumar to tour the state, study the drought situation and supervise the drought relief measures! On the contrary, there are Disaster Management Committees in every district headed by the Deputy Commissioners to take up relief measures. There is a system to monitor the drought situation by taking up relief measures to prevent the situation going out of control. But, the administration has completely collapsed so much so that the Disaster Management Committee has not met since last six months.
The draught situation in state worsened during May-June when the expected monsoon failed to materialise. It was then that the state government should have initiated drought relief on war footing to prevent the severe impact of drought. But there was hardly any government worth its salt.
On the contrary, the central government sent an official team to study the situation and recommend central assistance. But shockingly, none of the Ministers, let alone the CM, bothered to meet the official delegation to impress upon them the seriousness and severity of the drought situation and ask for higher central assistance and grant. The official delegation went by the official version of the local administration and as such the severity of the drought was lost on the central delegation. The inevitable happened as the central government released some extra grants and there ended its responsibilities.
But, what about the state government? There was absolutely no administration since Yedurappa started his ‘ousts Sadananda’ campaign in March. The Ministers were busy grouping themselves with either Yedurappa or Sadananda group and there was complete administration breakdown. Even after Sadananda’s removal and Jagadish Shettar’s re-instatement, there is no improvement. Everybody is busy for slices of power. Naturally, the drought issue was forgotten except for the CM’s announcement that agriculture loans up to Rs. 25 thousands is waived! Besides the late rains that provided relief to few drought areas, the situation has remained the same.
And, all of a sudden, Yedurappa announced that he will tour the state to study the drought situation and help the affected people. With the recent High Court order relaxing his movement conditions, Yedurappa has made every preparation to embark on a state wide tour and even a luxury Bus, redesigned for his tour was ready. Allegedly, everybody knew that Yedurappa’s tour was only a ruse for his eventual formation of a regional party. The ‘drought’ is only an excuse.
But, the BJP leadership was nervous. With Assembly elections just nine months away and chances of it getting pre-poned to December, BJP cannot afford allowing Yedurappa to tour the state as its only leader. Even earlier, the BJP high command had scuttled Yedurappa’s state wide tour, at least on 3-4 occasions. Yedurappa has repeatedly threatened the high command of pulling down the government and therefore it cannot risk allowing Yedurappa to tour the state under BJP banner and forming a regional party before the elections.
Moreover, the BJP, whose image is tainted with scams and parade of many of its ministers including Yedurappa to the Jail, wants to refurbish its damaged image so that it can reach a respectable figure in the elections. Then, if Yedurappa was allowed the state tour, his scams, scandals, caste politics, etc. precedes his visits everywhere. Therefore, allegedly, the high command with a view to cut Yedurappa’s wings decided to form three teams under the leadership of three leaders to study the drought. The three teams headed by Yedurappa, Sadananda and Anantha Kumar will tour three different regions and they have to give extra stress towards party organisations. This will also prevent Yedurappa taking credit for all the so called developments and playing his caste card. The ‘drought’ is only for public consumption.
Whatsoever, what purpose will the drought tour by three teams serve to provide relief to the victims? The team will tour their given areas, talk to few people, hold party meetings and try to boost the morale of the party cadres. Allegedly, the team’s main duty is to prepare the party’s cadres and leaders to the election. With the task of interacting with the people of drought areas, they will be having public contact.
Of course, the tour is a simple ‘study tour’ as per BJP stand. More than touring and talking to the people, the teams have no powers or authority to provide official relief from the government to the victims. At the maximum, they can recommend such measures to the government. This can very well be done by the respective Deputy Commissioners who could get the first hand and factual report of the severity of the drought from the local revenue authorities, village panchayaths, Taluk Panchayaths etc. In fact, this will be more authentic than the possible report by the three teams.
Furthermore, the party’s rank and file has become disillusioned with the unimaginable corruption of their leaders. For consolidation, the BJP has pressed into service three teams under senior leaders to undertake the campaign tours in the name of drought study. There is nothing to study about the drought which is affecting a part of the state since March this year. The draught tour reason is very simple. The three teams will tour the state for election campaign. If this real motive is disclosed, the BJP will get ridiculed as a party doing dirty politics in times of drought. That is why the party has dubbed it as drought study tours.
That is all!
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