Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the government gives a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of each person who died in the Hassan accident to express condolence, not in a bid to equate the value of human life with the compensation.
"The government giving compensation to the families of the dead does not mean it is equal to the value of life. The compensation is given to express condolence to the bereaved families," Mr Siddaramaiah told reporters at Mysuru airport.
Referring to Friday's tragic accident in Hassan where a canter truck ploughed into a crowd, killing several people, he said, "We have formulated the Road Safety Act. If an accident happens due to the mistake of truck drivers, how can the government be held accountable? I offer my respect to those killed in the accident." Mr Siddaramaiah also said that he had asked district in-charge minister Krishna Byre Gowda to visit the families of the victims and announce the compensation.
"He went there and consoled the families," Mr Siddaramaiah said.
Rejecting BJP's demand to enhance the compensation to Rs 10 lakh, Mr Siddaramaiah asked, "How much did they give during their tenure in government? If they had given then, we too would have considered it." "We give compensation keeping in mind the financial condition of the economically weaker sections. It must be given equally in all such cases," he asserted.
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Manipur, Mr Siddaramaiah remarked, "He didn't go when there was unrest. He goes there now after the disturbance has been minimised. Why didn't he go there in the last three years?" Speaking on the Dharmasthala case, the CM said there was no delay in the SIT probe and that the government would not interfere but would ensure there was no unwanted delay.
Responding to a petition filed in court seeking to prevent a person from inaugurating the Dasara festivities, Mr Siddaramaiah said, "Let the matter be settled in court. Dasara is not a festival belonging to a single religion.
Culturally, people of all faiths participate in this. It is a Nada Habba (state festival), and there is no rule that only one religion should participate. People of all castes and religions can take part in this universal festival." He warned that police would take action if BJP MP Pratap Simha attempted to create disturbances during the celebrations.
Reacting to FIRs against BJP leaders C T Ravi and Basanagouda Yatnal, Mr Siddaramaiah said, "If BJP leaders make provocative speeches, what should we do? It is very important to maintain peace and harmony. We will take action against those who make inflammatory speeches. This is not politics." Responding to allegations that the action targeted Hindus, he said, "I too am a Hindu. Even my name contains the names of two deities --Eshwara and Rama." Taking exception to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' objection to raising the height of the Almatti dam, Mr Siddaramaiah said the tribunal had permitted the dam height to be raised from 519 metres to 524 metres way back in 2010.
"It has been 15 years now, and this objection is being raised for political reasons," he alleged.
On Goa's opposition to the Mahadayi project and Tamil Nadu's stand against Mekedatu, Mr Siddaramaiah said, "The Prime Minister should give clear directions to BJP Chief Ministers." Responding to BJP's charge that the state government was adding new castes to the caste census, Mr Siddaramaiah said, "What do they say about the caste census undertaken by the central government?" He clarified that converted persons would be counted under their present caste.
"People are converting because of the system. If Hindu society had equality and equal opportunities, why would they convert? Why did untouchability come? Did we not create it ourselves? Though inequality exists in Hindu, Muslim, and Christian religions, people have converted. It is their right," he maintained.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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