Apex court order hasn’t struck down promotion policy: Siddaramaiah

KALABURAGI: The Supreme Court has not struck down the reservation policy in promotions, but has only said that it is not a fundamental right and the issue can be decided by state governments, said leader of opposition in the State Assembly Siddaramaiah here on Saturday. Siddaramaiah said that he has not yet read the Supreme Court judgement, but is commenting only based on newspaper reports. “After studying the judgement, I will be able to speak elaborately,” he said.

On the Union Budget, he said that many departments have not been allocated sufficient funds. “Grants have been cut to the MGNREGS scheme, and how can this budget help develop the country? Though an allocation has been made to the suburban railways of Bengaluru, it is very meagre. No fresh projects were announced for Kalyan Karnataka, and the Railway Division for Kalaburagi did not even find a mention,” he commented.

Asked whether the state budget, to be presented next month, will be affected by the Central Budget, Siddaramaiah, who has presented the state budget several times, said, “There will certainly be an impact. We have to see how the Yediyurappa government manages the circumstances and gives justice to all the departments, to the poor and weaker sections,” he said.

On the delay in the constitution of KPCC, he said that the high command has discussed the issue with a majority of senior leaders and the decision will be taken shortly. Asked whether the KPCC will be reconstituted within a fortnight, he quipped, saying he is neither an astrologer nor the high command.

Criticising Yediyurappa over the delay in cabinet formation, expansion and allocation of portfolios, Siddaramaiah said, “I don’t know how to describe the condition of Yediyurappa. I don’t know whether it is his inability, inefficiency or lack of freedom, he took more than a month to fulfil his promise of inducting the MLAs who sacrificed their seats to bring BJP to power. Even now, his promises are only partiallly fulfilled.”