Udupi: Kumaraswamy, Pooja Gandhi Sing Anti-BJP, Pro-people Tune
Inchara Digitals
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Feb 6: Former Karnataka Chief Minister (CM), and state president of JD(S), H D Kumaraswamy, lampooned the BJP government in the state by commenting that the BJP, since the last three and half years, has been engaging in empty propaganda and self-publicity instead of governing the state. “Inflicting injustice on farmers, poor people, and minorities is the only achievement of the present government,” he charged.
He was speaking after inaugurating ‘Jatyateeta Sanghatana Jatha Grama Yatre' (village visits for uniting secular forces) at Buntara Bhavana in Padubidri in the district on Sunday February 5. The programme was organized by the district unit of JD(S).
“BJP is wary of seeking votes on the basis of developmental plank, as it has nothing to be proud about. Therefore, it plans strategies to arrange confrontations between Hindus and Muslims to turn voters towards it. The recent incident at Uppinangady was one such attempt,” he said. He also came down heavily on Congress, which he said, claims itself to be pro-minorities party, for remaining mum on Sindhagi flag hoisting incident, even after truth behind the incident was revealed.
Deriding the much-publicized agricultural budget of BJP government, he satirically said that because of this budget, farmers have been committing suicide regularly, and that the achievement of thisbudget is that farmers do not get any money.
Sandalwood actress, Pooja Gandhi, addressing the people, said that she had joined JD(S), having been influenced by the people-friendly schemes implemented by the state government during the 20-month period when Kumaraswamy was the CM, and that she proposes to visit rural places and serve the people of the state. Expressing gratefulness to the people of the state for showering affection and extending support to her since the last five years, she requested all the women to become members of JD(S). She predicted that the state will become a model for the entire country to emulate, if JD(S) comes to power.
Support for Anti-UPCL Agitation
Kumaraswamy announced that he will soon announce about the type of agitation his party will launch against Udupi Power Corporation Ltd’s (UPCL) thermal power plant at Nandikoor near Padubidri, after visiting affected places and personally inspecting the problems, claiming that this plant has resulted in gross injustice to farmers and common people. “I know that UPCL came into being during my tenure as the CM. It is my responsibility to address the problems created because of this plant,” he said.
He was reacting to a petition handed over to him by Shashidhar Shetty and other leaders of district Raita Sangha about the problems created to the people by UPCL’s power plant.
In his keynote address, youth leader, Mahendra Kumar, accused the Sangh Parivar of sacrificing honesty for the sake of political power. He accused Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of loving the picture of India and not the motherland. “It is impossible to build our nation by neglecting or opposing Muslims. The agenda of RSS is to insult the minorities and suspect the sincerity of dalits,” he claimed.
On this occasion, Kumarawamy extended a warm welcome to a number of student leaders, politicians, and women leaders, who joined JD(S). In addition releasing a handbook on the village visit, he handed over a sewing machine to a Muslim woman.
District JD(S) president, Deviprasad Shetty, presided. Working president, Ghulam, state minorities unit president, Shakeel Nawaz, district women’s unit president, Shalini Shetty Kenchanur, state Youth Janatadal secretary, Iqbal Karnad, Ravikumar Mysore, Kanthi Chikmagalur, Rizwan Bappanad, Louis Lobo, S P Ummer Farooq, and a number of other leaders were present.
On this occasion, Kumaraswamy also unveiled a tableau which will tour the rural places all over the district during the next two months.