'Why industries moving away from Karnataka?': BJP asks Cong govt

Bengaluru, July 15 (IANS) The Karnataka BJP has asked the Congress-led government in Karnataka the reason about why industries were moving out of the state to other parts of the country.

Speaking at a press conference at the state BJP headquarters, Jagannath Bhavan, in Bengaluru, N. Ravikumar, BJP's Chief Whip in the Legislative Council, raised queries about major industrial investments leaving Karnataka.

"A Rs 25,000 crore investment by Toyota Electric Cars, which would have created 30,000 jobs, has moved to Maharashtra. Why?" Ravikumar asked the State Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Priyank Kharge.

He noted that Infosys has opened a new branch in Hyderabad, and Apple-Foxconn has shifted to Tamil Nadu.

"Why are these firms not investing in Karnataka, a state full of capable and skilled people?" he asked.

He said that veteran industrialist Mohandas Pai had called the current state government a 'corrupt regime'.

He added that governance in Kalaburagi is missing and the state government must answer for Minister Priyank Kharge's actions.

Ravikumar praised Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, saying he had accomplished tasks in road construction that had been pending for nearly 50 to 60 years.

"Union Minister Gadkari laid the foundation and inaugurated the Sigandur Bridge in Karnataka in record time," he said.

"When Congress was in power at the Centre, only 7-8 km of highways were built per day. Now it's 34 km per day," he added.

"Such an efficient leader visits Karnataka, and the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister claim they weren't invited and avoid the event by giving lame excuses -- this does not befit them," he said.

"It's just an excuse," Ravikumar said, while criticising the Congress-led state government.

He noted that current development projects under the Transport Ministry led by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari are worth Rs 3 lakh crore and that Gadkari had promised Rs 5 lakh crore investments for Karnataka.

Ravikumar also displayed letters sent from BJP MP B.Y. Raghavendra and Gadkari's office to the Chief Minister's office inviting him for the Sigandur Bridge opening event as proof.

BJP Spokesperson Hariprakash Konemane said that a second invitation had even been sent asking Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to attend virtually.

"This is nothing but evasion by the Chief Minister," he claimed.

"Congress fears that their baseless accusations against the Centre will be exposed — that's why they avoided the programme," he added.

State BJP spokesperson Ashok Gowda was also present at the press conference.

--IANS

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