Bangalore:
As outrage grows over a proposed junket of 30 Karnataka legislators to South America even as the state battles drought, Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah has hinted at a rethink.
"I will have a word with the Speaker," Mr Siddaramaiah said today.
A Janata Dal (S) lawmaker, Shivalingegowda, has already pulled out; more MLAs are likely to drop out of the tour to Brazil, Argentina and Peru with taxpayers footing the bill of about seven lakh rupees per head.
The legislators were scheduled to study Amazon rain forests, visit waterfalls and takes notes on the tourism and sporting activities in these areas that could be introduced in parts of Karnataka.
Currently, 12 MLAs from the Congress, BJP and JD(S) are already on a junket in Australia and New Zealand with their trip estimated to cost around Rs 15 lakh.
"Waste of public money. MLAs should instead send young engineers and architects who can really learn and replicate models for development. Which MLA has brought any change after a study tour?" Karnataka High Court lawyer Premila Nesargi asked.
Yesterday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said the suggestions that the tour should be cancelled were senseless. "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," he said.
The state's Congress government defended the trip, saying it was part of the official holiday that legislators take once in five years to get to know each other and learn to work together.
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. The then chief minister Jagadish Shettar had asked a group of MLAs to fly back from Argentina.