Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Oct 3: Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) Dakshina Kannada district unit president, Munir Katipalla, alleged that efforts are on to subdue DYFI activists, who brought to the fore the irregularities committed under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme by Harekala gram panchayat. He expressed anger at the fact that DYFI activists are being targeted by the concerned, instead of booking the panchayat officials and department officers for the scam.

He was addressing a huge protest demonstration organized by DYFI at Harekala on Sunday October 2. The protest was organized against the attempts to book the activists of the organization for bringing to the fore irregularities committed by officials. “At a time when Anna Hazare was leading a movement aimed at rooting out corruption, officials of Harekala gram panchayat were busy in committing irregularities under NREGS. Our activists found out the injustices, and their charges have been proved right by the inquiry. However, to divert the investigations, efforts to register cases against four DYFI activists have been made. If they are jailed, DYFI will initiate ‘Jail Bharo’ programme,” he warned.

Munir said that those who indulged in irregularities at Harekala have gone Scot free, even as wrongdoers are being tried for their offences elsewhere. Alleging that MLA, U T Khader, was behind these things, he vowed to continue the fight till the officials and personnel of the panchayat are not punished for their involvement in the scam.

Centre for Indian Trade Unions leader, Krishnappa Salian, Karnataka Rajya Pranta Raita Sangha leader, Yadav Shetty, DYFI zonal secretary, Ashok Shetty, Ashraf, Rafiq, and others were present.