Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah (File pic)
Bangalore: An official study tour of 30 Karnataka legislators to exotic holiday spots in South America has set off a controversy at a time when parts of the state are battling the impact of drought.
The legislators, from all parties, are to fly out next month as part of a study tour on the "flora and fauna of the Amazon rain forests" in Brazil, Argentina and Peru. Also on their official agenda is to visit waterfalls and examine whether tourism and sporting activities in these areas can be replicated in Karnataka.
The 10-12 day long trip is likely to cost the state about Rs 2 crore. The itinerary of the MLAs reportedly lists Rio De Janerio, Buenos Aires, Manaus, Iguassu, Lima and Cusco.
The state's Congress government says this is part of the official holiday that legislators can take once in five years, to get to know each other and learn to work together.
"Why are you making such an issue of it? It is a study tour. Every year some MLAs go. It is approved by the legislature. I don't think there is any critical situation," said Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah.
The government claims the politicians will not travel business class or stay in deluxe hotels, and they will pay for their own English-speaking guides.
The tour comes after the Karnataka government asked for central assistance to cope with the aftermath of last year's drought in parts of the state.
It was the Congress that had protested furiously over a similar junket of MLAs, in various batches, in the middle of a drought situation last year, when the BJP was in power. Then chief minister Jagadish Shettar had then asked a group of MLAs to fly back from Argentina. The full tour would have cost the state over Rs 8 crore.