Karnataka Revenue Minister questions H.D. Deve Gowda’s silence over Mekedatu project

Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has questioned former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda’s silence over the Mekedatu project even after the people of the State supported the BJP-JD(S) coalition in the last Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking at Yuva Parva, a convention organised by the youth wing of the Congress party at Channarayapatna on Sunday, Mr. Byre Gowda said that former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda had assured the people that he would get approval for the Mekedatu project within hours if the State elected a good number of JD(S)-BJP seats in the Lok Sabha polls. “The people elected the candidates of the coalition partners. However, Mr. Deve Gowda has not spoken a word about the project even more than a year after the elections. The people of Karnataka suffered even after electing the coalition candidates,” he said.

He also pointed out that despite assuring ₹5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra project, the Central government had not released even a single rupee for the same. Besides that, the Revenue Minister added that the Centre had been attempting to impose the Hindi language on the people of Karnataka.

Mr. Byre Gowda said that he, as Revenue Minister, had brought significant changes in the State. “The people would be benefited by the changes. The party workers should work towards bringing the party back to power in the next elections,” he added.

MLA for Arsikere K.M. Shivalinge Gowda said that the State had been denied its share in tax collection. “Against ₹4.5 lakh crore collected from the State, only ₹65,000 crore had been returned. Despite the difficulties, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been successfully leading the administration,” he said.

He opined that the Congress party would be strengthened in Hassan if a person from the district was appointed Minister in charge of the district. “We will show the power of the Congress party if a person from the district is appointed Minister in charge of the district. We should work towards winning all seven assembly constituencies in the next election,” he added.

Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad, MP for Hassan Shreyas Patel, and others were present.