Ramzan gift for minorities

Bagalkote: The Karnataka budget for the year 2025 has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders. BJP Member of the Rajya Sabha, Narayanaswamy Bandige, expressed his discontent, alleging that Siddaramaiah’s budget serves as a “gift for Muslims during Ramadan.” He mocked the allocation for iftar gatherings during the Ramadan festival, claiming the government has fully funded these events.

Bandige stated that the funds provided in the name of minorities clearly indicate that Siddaramaiah is reinforcing the idea of a government for Muslims, as Rahul Gandhi suggested. He pointed out that the budget includes provisions for 16 women’s colleges for minorities, high-tech upgrades for 100 Urdu schools, and funding for the construction of a Haj house. Bandage questioned the need for self-defense training for 25,000 students, specifically targeting why only certain students, presumably Muslim, are receiving this training.

The BJP leader accused the government of prioritizing Muslims in this budget, describing it as a “bogus budget” that favours one community over others, thus perpetuating discrimination.

He criticized Siddaramaiah for not fulfilling previous promises, such as establishing a medical college in Bagalkote, which was announced a decade ago without any funding being allocated.

He further noted the lack of new schemes for the SC/ST communities and stated that no financial support has been provided to the Badami Chalukya Development Authority, which politically supported Siddaramaiah’s return. Bandage concluded by asserting that the people of the state have lost faith in the government due to a lack of development and the biased nature of the budget, categorizing it entirely as a “Muslim budget.”