Mysuru: Vishwanath seeks White Paper on State’s economy 

A.H. Vishwanath, MLC, said on Thursday that the economy of the State was in doldrums and no development work was taking place under the Congress government.

Speaking to media persons, Mr. Vishwanath demanded a White Paper on the state of the economy and said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should come clean on the state of affairs and not hide anything from the public. Even the BJP, which is the Opposition, was not raising the issue and the media was silent, he added.

The MLC said the State government was forced to take ₹2,000 crore to clear financial liabilities of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and this was a pointer to the state of affairs in Karnataka. Mr. Vishwanath flayed the Chief Minister and said he only engages in talks. “In due course he will present the 16th Budget of the State. But what is the use if there are no funds for implementation,” he added.

Describing the State government as “weak and ineffective”, Mr. Vishwanath said the tussle between two civil service officials is a case in point. “The public spat and the showdown between IPS officer Roopa and IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri should have been curbed and the two should have been reigned in by the Chief Minister. But he has failed as there was no control over the administration,” said Mr. Vishwanath.