• Dr. M. Veerappa Moily

Nine states, including Karnataka, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, will be going for polls in 2023. This is dubbed by many as the semi-final before the 2024 Lok Sabha. In 2018 and 2019, many states ousted BJP in assembly elections.

The ruling BJP in Karnataka faces infighting and anti-incumbency ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections while the Congress, too, has its own challenges. Internal infighting is a serious problem now for BJP. This could be a reason why BJPs debacle is inevitable in 2023. It is too late in the day to turn around what looks like a negative record for BJP MLAs.

The government of Karnataka has failed to fully implement its own roadmap to boost infrastructure to tackle third wave. Take for instance, it had planned to setup six genomic sequencing laboratories by October 2022, but not even one lab is in operation. The BJP in Karnataka had proposed to set up four of these labs in medical colleges-one each in Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute and Gulbarga Medical Institute of Medical Sciences- and two in district hospitals in Mangaluru and Vijayapura. None of them have been set up so far.

Following the oxygen crisis during the second Covid wave, the government had planned to set up 262 oxygen plants in hospitals across Karnataka, but only 190 are operational till now. In Chamarajanagar, Where 24 patients died after the flow of oxygen ran out, only two plants have been established so far. The district was allotted seven.

Not a Single announcement made in the State Budget has been given effect, allocations have been cut; free rice for the poor has been reduced to 3 Kg from 5 Kg, money meant for free bus passes for students have been diverted to pay salaries; and all the direct recruitment process is indefinitely frozen, dashing the hopes of thousands of government job aspirants. Recruitment scams have become rampant leading to stalling of recruitment processes in government services and institutions. This has added to the crisis of joblessness.

The year 2019, witnessed the worst flood in 100 years’ history of Karnataka. The government estimated flood damages at ¹ 35,000 crores. It received a paltry amount of ¹ 1,869 crores aid from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). The state government has also not supplemented the NDRF.

The series of suicides by the farmers is also threatening the peace and tranquillity of the farmers in the districts of Yadgir, Kalburgi and Bidar. According to Department of Crime Records Bureau, in the above districts, 80% of the farmers grow Tur dal. It is estimated that 1.29 lakhs hectares of Tur dal have been destroyed between November 2022 till date because of excess rainfall. Situation has further worsened by the Modi government at the centre deciding to import 10 lakh tonnes of Tur dal. Neither the Centre nor the State government has come forward to the rescue of the sufferings of the farmers.

The Modi government has been falsely propagating the free 5 kg of grains under the NFSA as another historic decision benefiting the poor. The main beneficiary however will be the Modi government which will save over ` 1 lakh crore and not the ration card holders whose spending will only increase.

Even after five years, the Karnataka government has not filled 1,520 JTO (Junior Training Officer) vacancies. In the meantime, another 500 vacancies have cropped up in the same department. Bengaluru has seen 30% spike in crimes against women and kids compared to other crime cases which took place in the city of Bengaluru. These Include crime registered under Pocso Act, dowry harassment, molestation and rape. The capital has become a hub for Bitcoins, drugs and land mafias. Compared to 2019, there is an increase of 1400% in cases related to seizure of narcotic drugs in 2021. Nepotism, redtapism and irregularities are rampant in the administration of Bangalore Development Authority. No action is taken on the Chairman even after the Supreme Court passed strictures, only one official was suspended.

Solid waste management, water supply and lake redevelopment works in Bengaluru city worth more than Rs. 180 crores and approved by the urban development department about a year ago are yet to take off, highlighting government apathy in executing proposals. The funds allocated for the works are part of Rs. 279 crores sanctioned by the central government in 2020-21 under the 15th Finance Commission.

In the last two years, as many as 754 factories have shut down, and over 46,500 people were left jobless, without any financial alternative to support themselves. The contribution from the small-scale industries has been reduced by 21% in 2019 to 19.4% in 2020-21. No new jobs were created nor any sops given to restart these industries. More than 150 companies have shifted their base to other states without any clue.

Apart from this, the health indicators of Karnataka are also not very satisfactory. Karnataka’s urban sex ratio at birth is the fourth worst in the country, despite the state being the third richest! Furthermore, it has fallen since 2018, while many states have improved. Despite higher per capita income, the infant mortality is three times more than that of Kerala, 46% more children die within a year in Karnataka.

Experts say that many pockets of Karnataka are still dealing with malnutrition, with Covid-19 having made it worse. The Arogya Nandana campaign conducted across Karnataka primarily to identify children with comorbidities and provide nutrition to improve their immunity in the face of the pandemic found that among 53,82,106 children who were screened, 1,15,660 were diagnosed with illness. The children were screened for Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), diabetes, chronic kidney failure, chronic lung disease, chronic liver disease, blood disorders and cancer. 1,12,389 children were found to be malnourished. While 7,259 children suffered from SAM (Severe Acute Malnutrition), 1,04,790 children suffered from MAM(Moderate Acute Malnutrition).

About 57% of posts of teacher in government schools and colleges are vacant in Karnataka, the highest in the country. Karnataka has 1.41 lakh vacant teacher posts in government schools and colleges in 2021-22. The teacher’s recruitment process have been stalled and around 1397 schools have been shut due to shortage of teachers, want of quality education and infrastructure leading to mushrooming of private institutions with highest capitation fee. This has made it difficult for even middle class families to get admission in private institutions. The student drop out is estimated to be around 10 lakhs. This is as against the most transparent and cleanest system of recruitment of teachers initiated during the tenure of the undersigned wherein, more than 8 lakh teachers were recruited.

The dropout rate, after 8th grade is 8%, leaving 95% of 15 year olds enrolled in the ninth grade. But barely 60% of its 15 and 16 year olds enter the eleventh grade. In a state that is called the educational hub of knowledge industry in the country, over 40% of children do not get even a full 12-year basic education as of 2021-22. The GER at higher secondary is below the All-India average of 58, making Karnataka’s future uncompetitive. This leaves Karnataka woefully under-educated. The BJP government in Karnataka claims to have pioneered the NEP (New Education Policy) in the entire country. This has only boomeranged with confusion and has not taken off in terms of content and also quality or education.

The latest unemployment figures in the country, as per data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), are disconcerting as they show that the rate rose to 8.30 per cent in December, the highest in 16 months. It was 8 per cent in November. The data also shows that the urban unemployment rose to 10.09% in December from 8.96 in November.

The state has been engulfed in a wave of unrest for the past 4 years now. After the present Chief Minister, Basavaraj Bommai, took over from BS Yediyurappa, Karnataka has become a hotbed of communal tensions. A spate of incidents in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state has ruined the relationship between Hindus and Muslims and other communities in the state.

The BJP government seems to have adopted a Hindutva approach in Karnataka, themed around caste-based electoral mobilization. What started with several instances of hate speeches by the local politicians took a turn for the worse when hardliner communal groups took the law into their own hands. All incidents were targeted towards minorities in the state, anti-conversion law, unveiling a portrait of Savarkar in the Belagavi Assembly chamber, running down Tipu Sultan or going soft on the demand to restore the status of the mosque in Srirangapatnaas a Hanuman temple appears to be symbolic assertions of the Hindutva stand of the party. Even the Mysore Bengaluru Tippu Express train has been renamed. This demonstrates the sadistic attitude of the BJP.

Situation has worsened after the state assembly tabled the anti-conversion bill. The second major controversy happened when six young women demanded their right to wear a Hijab in the educational institutions. The next thing that became a piece of breaking news was how thousands of Hindu groups were mobilized for a protest; following it was a demand for a Halal meat ban. Lastly, the demand for taking down loudspeakers from mosques so that Azaan is not played and then the ban on Muslim traders in temple fairs, is an example of how the government has failed in maintaining communal harmony and in ensuring rule of law. More often, the state government seems to have no control over the incidents that have taken a communal turn and, in many cases, the government tries to catch up with what has already happened.

In the run up to the 2023 Assembly polls, an electoral voter data ‘theft scandal with links to the ruling BJP in Bengaluru’ has given rise to alarming spectre of targeted voter suppression. It was revealed that contract employees of Chilume Educational Cultural and Rural Development Trust, was roped in for SVEEP activities. It is also revealed that the founders also run a political consultancy firm and have alleged links to a minister in the present BJP government in Karnataka. The BJP ministers and leaders have been directly been involved in manipulation of voter lists in Karnataka. In some cases, up to30% of names in wards have been deleted. The Election Commission of India has not punished the guilty for brazenly manipulating the voters’ lists.

With the Karnataka Assembly elections barely five months away, the BJP government in the state is up against demands for quotas, both in government jobs and educational institutions, from various caste groups. In October, the Basavaraj Bommai-led government passed an ordinance to enhance the Scheduled Castes (SC) quota from 15 to 17 per cent and the Scheduled Tribes (ST) quota from three to seven per cent. The classification/reclassification of SC/STs and also OBCs has been totally unscientific and the High Court has comedown heavily on the government, sometimes annulling the orders of the government. The concept of backward classes and SC/STs has been abused and legitimate communities have been denied their rights.

The BJP government’s decision to hike reservation for SC/STs has opened a Pandora’s Box ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections with two major communities - the PanchamasaliLingayats and Vokkaligas - agitating for higher quota. With Assembly elections in sight, the government is in a dilemma over the demand of Panchamasalis to be included in the 2A category as it has been assigned a 15 per cent reservation.

Corruption is at its peak and not only ministers, but also the MLAs in the ruling government have been accused of corruption. The case of the recruitment of police sub-inspectors, the appointment of shady politicians as heads of boards, corporations and urban bodies and giving key positions to corrupt officials, issue of corruption and allegations of contractors of 40 per cent commission has already dented the BJP’s image; eroding the confidence of the electorates on the state of governance and affairs in the state. More distressing is the allegation of corruption in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors of universities. An Officer of the rank of ADGP is still in jail in the case of recruitment of police sub-inspectors. The recent case of a contractor Santosh, committing suicide alleging commission claimed by Minister for Rural Development K.S. Eshwarappa and ultimately filing of B Report in the case is a flagrant instance of open-and-shut case of corruption at the highest level. The current case of Santro Ravi in the sex and police transfers’ racket has exposed the links between government officials, and ministers in the Bommai government. This is the most unpleasant development in the history of Karnataka.

Karnataka is known worldwide as the ‘Silicon Valley of India’. The latest surveys hows that Delhi has taken over Bengaluru as the hub of start-ups. This is because of the step-motherly attitude of the double engine government of Shri Modi. The hub of electronic city in Bengaluru has been denied the basic requirement of a semi-conductor industry and this has been diverted to Gujarat, diminishing the legitimate claim of the state. This shows the partisan attitude. The BJP in Karnataka or MPs have become mute spectators to witness this discrimination.

Many other states have lost opportunities because of the undue weightage and advantage given to Gujarat. Heads of reputed industries like Biocon and Wipro have expressed their opinion that investments will come down drastically; owing to the communal violence and other discriminatory practices.

Karnataka’s performance has also deteriorated in specific areas as per the NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) India Index, which comprehensively documents the progress made by states towards achieving the 2030 SDG targets. The state performance declined in areas such as quality education; clean water and sanitation; decent work and economic growth; inequality; climate action; and life on land indicators. Sources said that the State is yet to make progress in the monitoring and reporting of districts and taluks and linking SDGs to the Budget. The score related to number of physicians, nurses, and midwives per 10,000 people reduced from 72 in 2019-20 to 70 in 2020-21, which according to an expert is a matter of concern, particularly when the State is facing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) annual liveability index report ranked Bengaluru the lowest among Indian cities. There are five Indian cities in the rankings that list 173 cities across the world. Delhi is placed at 140, followed by Mumbai (141), Chennai (142), Ahmedabad (143) and Bengaluru is 146th.

The government claims to have given Rs. 6,000 crores to Bengaluru. On infrastructure, Bengaluru has scored 46.4 out of 100. This is the same as Lagos in Nigeria. Karachi in Pakistan has a better score of 51.8. The cosmopolitan city of Bengaluru has now been ranked lowest in the country. The High Court has been passing strictures day-by-day and has also gone to the extent of levying fine on the city administration. The shoddy road works taken up for the visit of Narendra Modi to Bengaluru is an eyewitness to the city dwellers been was headway, paving way of potholes in Bengaluru city.

The shortage of demand for products, lack of raw material, old and obsolete machinery, shortage of working capital, labour problems and investment in unwanted assets were cited as reasons for shutting down of the factories. Industrialists often choose to remain mum over political tribulations in country or states.

The government has failed in irrigation and drinking water sector. Major projects like the Upper Krishna, Mahadayi and Yethinahole have stagnated for want of release of sufficient funds even to the extent of Rs. 60,000 crores. Files have been dumped and thousands of files are pending clearance. The state has also failed to get its legitimate share from the 15 Finance Commission recommendation. In 2020-21, Karnataka has received only Rs.31,180 crores. According to CAG Report, Karnataka’s debt has risen to31.38% between 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Investments- the reality is that previous editions of Global Investors Meet have delivered only a tiny fraction of what was promised. Looking at the past track record of the previous governments led by the BJP, GIM were conducted by BJP-led government both in 2010 and 2012 - the reality is that these editions of GIM have delivered almost nothing or just a fraction promised. The just concluded GIM has also proved to be a damp squib. The Congress on the other hand had brought in massive industries viz. Jindal Vijayanagar Steel Plant (JSW). Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) and SEZ in Mangalore, Toyota in Ramangara, ITPL in Whitefield, Electronic City in Anekal and many industrial estates across the state. The communal tensions are further acting as a deterrent to investors. This is an evidence of failed governance of the double engine government in Karnataka.

The so-called BJP masterstroke to consolidate Dalit and tribal votes in line with the projected 24 per cent population of the two caste groups in the state has backfired with other castes, -particularly the dominant groups such as the Vokkaligas and Lingayats, also demanding reservations and seeking a share in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota in the state. The border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka has been boiling although the matter is in the Supreme Court and this has again contributed to worsening of law-and-order situation.

The BJP has now access to large amounts of funds. According to the Election Commission of India, 94% of the funds have been received by the BJP through Electoral Bonds. This is just black money in the guise of political funding pumped in to manipulate elections. The Bommai government is a non-performing asset which is merely been depending on the charisma of the Prime Minister. The BJP in Karnataka is also projecting B.S Yeddyurappa, the only Chief Minister who has been jailed, as an icon of Karnataka. This will not take BJP anywhere in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka or the eight states going for elections in 2023.

India is also set to lose the fastest growing major economy title. With growth weakening demand at home and abroad, GDP and industry in a slump.

The internal tussle in the BJP will become the root cause for the party’s down fall in the state in the upcoming elections. The present BJP regime in the state lacks three Cs - commitment, coordination and competence. The only C they have acquired is corruption.

(The Author is a former Chief Minister of Karnataka & former Union Minister)