Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (VP)

Mangaluru, May 31: MLA Dr Bharath Shetty criticized the police department for filing a 'B' report on the Namaz case, questioning how a report could be filed without a primary investigation. He noted that the officer who filed the suo motu case had been sent on holiday and the case was revoked.

Addressing the media on Friday, May 31, at the BJP office, Dr Bharath Shetty said, "The Congress party has always leaned towards appeasement politics. My question is, is it acceptable for anyone to block roads and offer Namaz? In defense, they mention Yakshagana and other cultural programs, for which prior permission is required. You cannot compare it with Namaz, where people suddenly gather and start praying. A suo motu case was lodged, later revoked, and the officer who lodged it was sent on holiday. How can you file a 'B' report without conducting a primary investigation?

"According to me, this is a political conspiracy. The Congress believed that by supporting such actions, they would gain Muslim votes. Whenever we question the Congress state government, they silence us by filing complaints under IPC Section 107. The citizens should understand that there was a mistake, and permission should have been obtained beforehand. The state Congress government lacks proper administration and unnecessarily escalated this issue. I fully support Sharan Pumpwell, who merely questioned, 'Will it be okay if we bring our people and block roads?' We want the Congress government to answer his questions.

"If these issues are not addressed now, they will recur across the city, and the Congress government will continue to file cases without taking action. Every officer today is working under pressure and not following the law. I acknowledge that in some areas, there may not be traffic all day, but that still doesn't justify or provide an opportunity for anyone to act without permission. We will explore all legal aspects of this case, as there is no use talking to state ministers, and the police department has stopped answering calls.

"There are nearly 6,071 graduate constituency voters and 337 teachers’ constituency voters. Our aim is to bring at least 80% of the voters to the booth. Our candidates, Dhananjay Sarji and Bhojegowda, will definitely win, as our supporters are in large numbers. There is an anti-public sentiment under the Congress government, and they have taken the public for granted. Graduates today clearly understand where our country is heading under the Congress government," he said.

When the media asked about rebel candidates, Dr Bharath Shetty responded, "The BJP party always has rebels, as does the Congress party. This will not affect us, as people know whom to vote for, and we don't see this affecting us in any way."

Regarding Raghupati Bhat still promoting himself as a BJP leader, Dr Bharath Shetty said, "Yes, we have received information that he is using Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo in his campaign. However, not a single BJP party member has joined his campaign, and the decision on this matter will be taken by our senior leaders."