Oppn members stage dharna in K'taka Assembly

Bangalore, Apr 4: The Karnataka Legislative Assembly was adjourned for a brief period following a dharna by the Congress and other Opposition members, protesting against release of funds under the Chief Minister's Rural Road Development Fund favouring constituencies held by the BJP and JD(S).

Raising the issue during zero hour, Leader of the Opposition N Dharam Singh and others pointed out that an amount of Rs 30 crore had been released mostly to constituencies represented by BJP and JD(S) members. They accused the Government of infusing politics into developmental issues and staged a dharna.

Following this, Speaker Krishna adjourned the House for a brief period.

When the House reassembled, the dharna was withdrawn after Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa assured the members that the Government would rectify if any disparity was found in the release of funds.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge charged the Government with having malafide intentions in the release of funds. His party Government had earlier released around Rs 58 crore based on the development index, propounded by the D M Nanjundappa Committee on regional imbalances, he noted.

UNI