BENGALURU, 24 JULY

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a protest at Freedom Park on Wednesday, accusing NDA MPs representing Karnataka of failing to secure significant funds for State in Union Budget 2024.

AAP State Organising Secretary Mohan Dasari, who led the protest, said, "The voters of Karnataka had high expectations from this Union Budget, but Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has delivered a severe blow by not allocating even a single paisa for State’s major projects."

Dasari highlighted the lack of attention given to crucial irrigation projects, including Kalasa-Banduri, Mahadayi, Yettinahole, Mekedatu and Upper Krishna. He also criticised the inadequate funding for Bengaluru's infrastructure development, especially metro and railway projects. Only Rs 350 crore was allocated for the suburban rail project, which falls short of the City's requirements, he said.

Highlighting the disparity in budget allocations, Dasari questioned, "How much money has gone to Bihar and Andhra Pradesh? The 19 NDA MPs from Karnataka are good for nothing; they haven’t brought a single rupee to the State."

AAP's Bengaluru unit President Satish Kumar highlighted the lack of funds for disaster relief. "When floods hit Karnataka, we pleaded for funds, but they were not released. Now, Rs 11,000 crore has been given to other states as disaster relief. Kannadigas need to wake up and teach BJP a lesson for this neglect," he said. -Salar News