Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, on Saturday sharply criticised Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for allegedly deflecting responsibility on farm loan waivers to the Centre, demanding that the state government act independently to relieve distressed farmers.

Ashoka's Core Charge

In a post on social media platform X, Ashoka questioned the nature of governance where a chief minister points fingers at the Centre when farmers seek debt relief. “Earlier, state governments, including those led by your own party in Karnataka, had waived farmers’ loans whenever necessary and come to their aid. But today, pointing towards the Centre to escape responsibility is shameful,” he said.

Ashoka argued that the Congress-led state government had the precedent and the obligation to act unilaterally, without waiting for Central intervention.

Unfulfilled Manifesto Promises Under Scrutiny

The BJP leader also trained his sights on commitments made in the Congress party’s 2023 Karnataka Assembly election manifesto. He questioned what had become of the promised Rs 1.50 lakh crore ‘Krishi Sarvodaya Nidhi’ and the proposed Rs 5,000 crore permanent natural calamity fund. He further questioned the party’s pre-election promise to provide interest-free agricultural loans ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

“Before the elections, you showed farmers castles in the air through your promises. After coming to power, you emptied the State treasury and are now saying the Centre should do it. This is the height of irresponsibility,” Ashoka alleged.

Aerial Survey Draws Fresh Criticism

Ashoka also took aim at Chief Minister Shivakumar’s aerial survey of drought-hit areas, questioning whether farmers’ hardships could be genuinely understood from a helicopter. He argued that while aerial surveys may be justified during floods, surveying dry and cracked fields from the air served little purpose.

He alleged that Shivakumar was avoiding direct interaction with farmers and feared that ground-level visits would expose the government’s failures. He also claimed that money spent on helicopter rental and fuel could have instead been channelled toward relief for affected farm families.

Districts in Distress

Ashoka specifically flagged farmers in Ballari, Vijayanagara, and Bagalkot as needing immediate relief rather than what he described as “publicity photo shoots.” He urged the Chief Minister to visit fields personally and reassure farmers on the ground.

What Ashoka Demanded

The opposition leader called on the state government to first announce a farm loan waiver at its own level and release compensation under the Rs 5,000 crore natural calamity fund promised in the Congress manifesto. “First fulfil the State’s responsibilities and then talk about taking a delegation to the Centre,” he said. The Congress government has yet to formally respond to these specific charges.