Bengaluru, Oct 3 (NationPress) The Karnataka BJP criticized the Congress-led administration on Friday, claiming it has ignored the severe flood crisis in the state, leaving those displaced by relentless rainfall to celebrate the Dusshera festival out in the open.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, made this statement during his visit to Belagavi district to evaluate agricultural losses and flood repercussions. He remarked, "The state government is in a deep slumber. The BJP delegation is visiting Belagavi and Vijayapura districts today. Due to the floods and heavy rain, people are unable to celebrate Dusshera in their homes and have been forced to do so on the streets."

Ashoka continued, "Siddaramaiah and his team are preoccupied with caste issues. Their focus seems to be on inciting discord among communities rather than addressing the disasters in our state. There are landslides in the Malnad region, roads are blocked, and many have lost their homes."

He questioned, "After the BJP announced teams to assess the flood-affected areas, CM Siddaramaiah finally acknowledged the situation. He keeps repeating that the Centre should assist. As a seasoned politician and former CM, he should know better. He should first obtain crop loss reports from every district. What has he discovered?"

Ashoka further challenged, "The CM should present these reports to the Union Agriculture Minister and then consult the Union Home Minister to request a team to evaluate the damages. Have they taken these steps? Has any minister initiated action?"

He alleged, "The CM's claim of 10 lakh hectares of crop damage is misleading. The actual loss is significantly higher."

Ashoka also criticized Siddaramaiah for celebrating Dusshera in Mysuru while citizens are forced to celebrate on the streets.

Reflecting on his past as Revenue Minister during the B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai administrations, Ashoka stated, "We proposed Rs 3 lakh compensation for damaged homes, and they allocated Rs 5 lakh, exceeding our request. Under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), the previous support was Rs 95,000, which has now increased to Rs 1.20 lakh."

He noted, "For homes merely flooded, we provided Rs 10,000 within 24 hours, along with food kits for every household, without awaiting central assistance. What has the Congress-led government accomplished?"

Ashoka added, "They argue that a survey report on flood damage is necessary, but that could take months or even a year."

When asked about farmers not receiving compensation, Ashoka responded, "The Congress-led government is engrossed in conducting the caste census. Officials and Deputy Commissioners are busy with it. Specific packages must be allocated for farmers who lost long bean, green gram, and soybean crops. The state should have requested a central team to assess the situation, as we did during our tenure - they would have sent a team immediately."

He condemned the state government, stating, "Even their own MLAs are claiming that no funds have been designated for road development in their areas. Roads throughout the state are riddled with potholes, and the condition in Bengaluru is even worse."