From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bhadravathy/Shivamogga, Feb 8: KPCC chief D K Shivakumar on Wednesday, lashed out at the BJP double engine rule for not keeping its promise for reviving Karnataka’s prestigious Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Ltd (VISL) in Shivamogga district’s Bhadavathy, started by the erstwhile ruler of Mysore Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar at the instance of Sir M Visvesvaraya.
“If Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his predecessor B S Yediyurappa, and all the BJP leaders stick to their promise and pressurize the Centre, the decision for reviving the prestigious company can be taken in half an hour," he said speaking to media persons in Bhadravathy after meeting a delegation of VISL employees seeking help in their struggle for the revival of the factory.
Shivakumar, who is touring the district as part of the Prajadhwani Yatra, said the BJP is insensitive to the plight of the VISL workers and other sections of society and has not kept any of its promises. ``BJP has lost moral right to approach the people for votes. It is time for people to throw out the corrupt BJP,’’ he said.
The KPCC Chief said the former BJP Chief Minister Yediyurappa had promised to invest Rs 1000 crore to revive the factory. Another Union minister, who visited the place, had promised to invest Rs 6,000 crore. “Nothing has happened so far. They have forgotten all their promises. BJP has 25 MPs in the State, including Yediyurappa’s son B Y Raghavendra. But none of them are doing anything to save the factory,’’ he said attacking the government for selling the entire factory and receiving no offers.
“The BJP government wants to close the VISL factory permanently,” he said and said BJP leaders must be ashamed to face the employees, their families and people for votes. They have let down farmers by promising to double their income and allowed import of arecanut from Bhutan even when the local growers are suffering. Inflation and unemployment is mounting, he said.
Shivakumar said the BJP is expert in creating communal trouble and polarizing voters as a strategy to win in elections. All the shops and establishments are forcibly closed by 6 pm so that the BJP leaders can carry out their activities. In such a situation, will any industrialist come forward to invest in the district or in the State, he asked.
The KPCC Chief said the Congress party’s two major promises of supplying 200 units of free power to all domestic users and payment of Rs 2,000 each per month to every housewife can be easily implemented if the 40% commission swallowed by the government is stopped.
He said the Bommai government has started looting by inviting tenders for Rs 22,000 crore for the Upper Bhadra project within 7 days as alleged by the BJP MLA Goolihatti Shekar. BJP MLC Vishwanath, BJP leader Basavaraj Patil Yatnal and State Contractors Association have levelled serious corruption charges against the government and the Bommai government’s corruption has brought shame to Karnataka, he said.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who were not bothered about Karnataka, have now started to visit the State every 15 days. They will forget the State after elections. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who went to Rajya Sabha from the State, has also forgotten the State,” he said asking people to throw out BJP government.