Hubballi: Close on the heels of opposition parties raising objections to the planned extravagant expenses for celebrating the diamond jubilee of the Vidhana Soudha, veteran journalist and former parliamentarian Patil Puttappa has expressed reservation over spending large amount of money for the purpose.
Puttappa, who is a former member of the Rajya Sabha, said that it was not in the larger interest of the state to opt for such wasteful expenditure, especially at a time when the people were affected by adverse weather conditions, in a release issued in Hubballi.
He said the state had witnessed severe drought for the last few years and now, heavy rainfall was playing havoc with the lives of people adding that moreover, the financial condition of the state too was far from satisfactory.
It is ridiculous to spend large amount of public money to distribute gold and silver material and organise banquets in the name of celebrating the diamond jubilee of the Vidhana Soudha under these circumstances, he said.
He termed it as a crime to spend public money for such purposes. Therefore, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should not allow such wasteful expenditure, he appealed.