Instead of drought, 'puja for rain' drowns all else in Karnataka Assembly

Water Resources Minister M B Patil recently conducted a Parjanya Homa to appease the rain gods BJP leaders ridiculed the minister, suggesting that he should be allocated the tender for conducting a puja every year

The recent Parjanya Homa conducted by Water Resources Minister M B Patil, to appease the rain gods, came under heavy criticism by the Opposition leaders during the Assembly session. Terming it as the “height of stupidity”, the BJP leaders ridiculed Minister M B Patil, suggesting that he should be allocated the tender for conducting puja every year instead of the irrigation projects.

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Soon after the commencement of post noon session, the leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar presented the preliminary submission on the drought situation in the State.  Speaker K B Koliwad approved the submission and called for discussion.  However, debate over the puja for rain overtook the issue of drought.  It was alleged that Water Resources Minister M B Patil was spending funds on conducting pujas rather than allocating for irrigation projects. Shettar also alleged that the Congress, which had made a commitment at Basava Kalyana that it would allocate Rs 10,000 crores annually for Krishna projects, is actually encouraging superstition by conducting puja to appease the rain god.

On the one hand the government is talking about implementing Anti Superstition Bill on the other is encouraging superstition by conducting Homa.  After public protest the minister is defending it by saying it was conducted using personal money. The Chief Minister is silent in this issue, indicating his accord, he said.

In reply, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he would place the Anti-superstition Bill at the Assembly for debate and to focus on drought now.  However Shettar continued his tirade against the puja and quipped, what was the necessity to conduct Homa now, after keeping quiet for four years and why spend Rs 20 lakh for it?

In reply, Siddaramaiah clarified that minister M B Patil had conducted the puja in his personal capacity and not spent government exchequer. “I am totally against Homa and such superstition. I do not support it.  M B Patil has met the expenses from his personal money. The Irrigation Department will not foot the bill for Homa in any way” he said.

Jagadish Shettar retorted that the minister could be given a GPO to conduct puja annually to make it rain, it will save the State exchequer to spend on assured employment, irrigation projects and also time.

This made Congress MLAs Prasannakumar, Vinaya Kumar Sorake to slam BJP questioning, who is distributing Ganga jal for Shivaratri, who resorted to black magic in the previous government, who gifted an elephant to a temple at Kerala?