At the time when 193 districts have been declared drought-hit in Karnataka, a planned jaunt by a contingent of 18 State MlAs cutting across party lines to some South American countries has come in for severe criticism. Even though Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the move, the issue has now snowballed into a major controversy.
Speaking to the media in Bangalore on Thursday, the Chief Minister defended the legislators’ trip to South American countries and said it was just a routine study trip to South American countries. He said, “It is not a junket, but a routine trip. Why are you making it a big issueIJ It is the legislature committee which decides and they don’t come to us.”
A group of 18 MlAs belonging to Estimate Committee is planning to embark on a 10 to 12-day tour of Brazil, Argentina and Peru in January. The MlAs’ itinerary has already been finalised and they are visiting holiday destinations such as Rio De Janerio, Manaus, Iguassu, lima, Cusco, and Buenos Aires, besides Dubai.
Malikayya Guttedar, an MlA who heads the legislature’s Estimate Committee, has defended the study tour and said it was part of the norms. He said, “We are not committing a big crime. Don’t you send schoolchildren on vacationIJ We also need this. We are being sent through legislature committee. We are spending `6 to `7 lakh per MlA not crores as reported.”
Among the destinations are the “exuberant ecosystems of Rio’s tropical urban jungle” and shopping at Manaus, where they will “experience rhythms of Samba, Tango and Paraguayan music during dinner and a show at a local restaurant”.
Karnataka Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa confirmed that the tour was approved and date has to be finalised. He said, “The Estimates Committee, consisting of as many as 18 legislators, is planning a study tour of Brazil, Argentina and Peru.” “It depends on the committee to decide on the date of journey and schedule,” he added.
The tour may cost the State exchequer about `60 lakh, the Speaker said, adding the trip is for 10 to 12 days. According to the Speaker, the legislators would visit South American countries to study the developments there in various departments. On criticism about the jaunt, he said it was left to the legislature to take a call.
A similar planned junket of 100 MlAs in different batches when large parts of the State were reeling under drought during the BJP rule last year had triggered a public outcry.
Following the outcry, then Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar had asked a batch of legislators on a visit to Argentina and other countries to call off their trip and fly back home.