Don’t treat politics as a profession: Bommai

MP Basavaraj Bommai Hubballi: MP Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said politics should be used as a tool to serve society and cautioned against treating it as a profession, as it could lead to calculations of profit and loss.He was speaking at the inauguration of the Young Indian Parliament, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and Young Indians Organisation at Gujarat Bhavan in Hubballi.Bommai said that although he had a political background, he continued to pursue his own work and did not treat politics as a profession. He urged people to earn their livelihood independently and not depend on politics, noting that it requires no specific qualifications, application process or retirement age.Referring to Vijay Mallya, he said the real danger lies not in businessmen entering politics but in politicians turning into businessmen. He called on people to adhere to their values and instincts.The former chief minister urged the state govt to immediately declare Karnataka drought-hit, stating that a drought situation was developing due to insufficient rainfall. He warned that if adequate rain does not arrive within the next week, the state could face a full-fledged drought.Speaking to reporters, Bommai said only 30% of sowing has been completed so far, while 70% of the areas are yet to begin. He said farmers are facing severe hardship and flagged a looming drinking water crisis. In such a situation, he said, the govt must act immediately by seeking ground reports from all deputy commissioners and implementing relief measures without delay.He added that funds are available under the Natural Disaster Relief Fund, and proper utilisation could also help secure additional assistance from the Centre. Bommai said it was unfortunate that the state lacked a dedicated agriculture minister at such a critical juncture. He criticised the practice of assigning one minister to oversee multiple districts, calling it ineffective. Despite warnings in national reports about the impact of El Niño and the likely drought, the govt, including chief minister DK Shivakumar, had failed to take the situation seriously, he said.Stay updated with the latest Hubballi news. Download the TOI App.