Bengaluru, Feb 20 : Condemning the move of Congress government to provide compensation to the family of elephant attack victim in Kerala, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka said on Tuesday that the Kannada taxpayers' money was going into Rahul Gandhi's pocket.

'Mr. Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, do you think the state of Karnataka is the property of the Indian National Congress and it can release the money paid as tax by the people of Karnataka as per the diktat of Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal?

'Mr. CM Siddaramaiah, don't your ministers have the capacity to question the high command courageously that it is the tax money of the people of Karnataka'? Ashoka questioned.

Meanwhile, former National General Secretary of BJP C.T. Ravi took to social media, saying, 'Why is Karnataka government dancing to the tune of a mere 'CON'gress MP from Kerala? CONgress has time and again betrayed the interests of Karnataka at the altar of its masters.

"How long should Kannadigas sacrifice their interests simply because of CONgis who prostrate before the Chinese puppet?

"Will CM Siddaramaiah explain to Kannadigas why their money is being spent on the orders of a Silly Dynasty whose only achievement in life is being born into the Fake Gandhi dynasty?

"And why is a Karnataka minister copying a CONgress functionary in his letter? Is K.C. Venugopal a courier boy or an extra-constitutional authority who can bulldoze the state government?

"The incompetent CONgress government spends money on Madrasas, Wakf properties and other whims and fancies while continuously blaming the central government for all its failures. Kannadigas are eagerly waiting to get rid of this anti-people 'Tughlaq Durbar',' Ravi said.

On Monday, Karnataka Minister for Forests B. Eshwar Khandre announced the compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the family of deceased Ajeesh, who lost his life in elephant attack in Wayanad, Kerala. The order copy by the government stated that the compensation was being provided as per the advice of Rahul Gandhi.

A tusker named 'Makna', which was captured at Belur in Karnataka's Hassan district, was relocated to the Bandipur Tiger reserve in November 2023. It was radio collared last year. Two months later the elephant was sighted in the Wayanad area of Kerala, the parliamentary constituency of Rahul Gandhi.

/IANS