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Escalating its attack on the Congress government over its fiscal management, the Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday alleged that the state is being pushed into an "Rs 8.24 lakh crore debt trap" and claimed that the state's Finance Department has issued a "red signal" against making unbudgeted announcements.
In a sharply worded post on social media platform X, the state BJP targeted Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, accusing him of making arbitrary financial commitments for publicity despite a severely depleted treasury. "The Karnataka Congress government, which is pushing the state into a debt trap of a whopping Rs 8.24 lakh crore, has now received a red signal from the Finance Department itself! With not a single new paise left in the treasury, the Finance Department has warned Real Estate CM DK Shivakumar to stop making arbitrary announcements and grasp the real situation," the Karnataka BJP stated. The opposition party claimed that the state is grappling with severe cash shortages, making it unable to clear various pending dues. "Showman Shivakumar's grandiose declarations are nothing more than publicity stunts and showmanship through advertisements. Due to severe cash shortages, it's impossible to clear dues for transport corporations, irrigation corporations, and power companies. Amid all this, the Chief Ministers have announced Rs 10,000 crore for the Rural Roads Connectivity Scheme and Rs 1,000 crore in grants for Bharat Jodo Yuva Clubs. But is there any budgetary allocation for these?" the party questioned. Highlighting the state's fiscal deficit, the BJP alleged, "The state is facing a revenue deficit of Rs 22,957 crore. It has withheld Rs 36 thousand crore in payments to contractors, and works worth around Rs 2 lakh crore are stuck in limbo. By emptying the treasury and making empty announcements, CM DK Shivakumar is misleading the people of Karnataka through his empty publicity tactics." The digital offensive comes alongside on-ground protests by BJP leaders in Bengaluru, who held demonstrations earlier in the day at the Kengal Hanumanthaiah statue in Bengaluru, accusing the administration of financial bankruptcy, economic mismanagement, and diverting funds meant for Dalit communities. Leading the demonstration, leaders of the opposition in both houses of the state legislature mounted a sharp attack on the state government, demanding immediate accountability and resignations over the alleged fiscal crisis. Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R Ashoka claimed that developmental work across the state has come to a standstill due to a severe financial crunch and mounting debt. He further demanded the resignation of Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar for failing to handle the state's finances effectively. "There is no money for development. We have already taken the loan... Now the finance department openly says this is coming under DK Shivakumar; he is the finance minister. How is it possible?... You have failed to manage the finance department. That's why you have to resign. That is the BJP's demand," Ashoka told reporters. Simultaneously, Karnataka Legislative Council Leader of Opposition (LoP) Chalavadi Narayanaswamy accused the government of exhausting state exchequers and misusing welfare funds earmarked for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). Speaking to ANI, Narayanaswamy said, "The government has become bankrupt, but still they are spending the remaining amount like water for no reason, and it is a waste of money. Independence Day was celebrated by the government. But Constitution Day was celebrated by social welfare; why? That is the money kept for the Dalits, SC and STs, for their betterment. But this government is spending that amount on these issues." (ANI)
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