Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Nov 19: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee secretary, Ivan D’Souza, dismissed the notion that Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill 2011 is anti-Hindu. He also felt that accusing the bill to be anti-Hindu just because of the fact that the National Advisory Council, working committee under which had drafted the bill, is chaired by Sonia Gandhi, is unjustifiable.

“I have with me a draft copy of the proposed bill. The proposed act has 135 sections under nine different chapters. None of the provisions is aimed at dividing the people as alleged,” he said, addressing a press conference here on Friday November 18.

Questioned about the reason behind keeping Jammu and Kashmir out of the ambit of this act, he said that possibly this state was omitted, as it is been accorded special status.

Ivan said that a number of state and district level Congress leaders will take part in the Padayatra that will be held from November 21 to 24 from Sampaje to Mani. Preparations are under way, and the Padayatra will end with a huge public meeting at Mani, he added. He explained that the Padayatra is meant to register protest against the inability of the concerned to regulate the contractors executing Mani-Sampaje road expansion work, who are conducting work in a haphazard manner. “The seriousness of the situation is mirrored in the instruction issued by the local MP to file case against the contractor and officials. If the deputy commissioner of the district chooses to remain a silent spectator, and if any untoward incident occurs during the Padayatra, he will be solely responsible for the same,” he warned.

Youth district Congress unit president, Mithun Rai, Nagendra Kumar, Ibrahim Bawa and some others were present at the press conference.