Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)
Mangalore, Mar 25: "Induction of pub attack accused Dinker Shetty was a mistake from our end. We will never tolerate atrocities against women and I on behalf of the Congress party would like to apologize for the mistake," said Congress leader and Lok Sabha candidate Janardhan Poojary.
Addressing a press meet held at the Congress election office here on Tuesday, March 25, he said, "Neither Oscar Ferandes nor I were aware that he was joining Congress, nor did we know of his background. He was inducted into the party on the dais amidst the crowd during the convention held at Town Hall yesterday. It was not right on our part to induct him into the party. We will not tolerate such persons in the party."
"There are cases of atrocity on women filed against him. We worship women as god. Hence, this induction is a mistake by us and we would like to apologize for the same, especially to the women, for committing such a mistake. As the joining procedure is something that has to do with the booth or the ward levels, the district or the KPCC committee does not take the issue too seriously. But after this incident, we have learnt a lesson and we will see to it that we do not repeat such incidents in the future," he added.
"I had earlier planned to get a major project for the district, the Petro Chemicals Products Investment Region (PCPIR) under which nearly 15 lac people would have got job opportunities. It was supposed to be a widely spread project spanning 249 kms and 9 districts with Mangalore as the centre.
"As per the primary reports, it will not affect the people of the district, and is likely to benefit in all ways. Any project which will affect the people or the environment in any way will not be carried out by any means. Foreign companies will directly invest on the projects and hence the salary will be very high," he explained.
"There will be no forcible acquisition of land, but land given voluntarily will be accepted, following all the legal procedures as directed by the Supreme Court. Rehabilitation of the people with all the basic necessities will be made first and then the project will be started," he added.
"The JD(S) and SDPI merger will not affect us by any means as our major opponent is BJP. The BJP has been asking votes not in the name of Nalin Kumar Kateel or Nalin Kumar Shetty, but in the name of PM candidate Narendra Modi. But one must know as to who is on the field, Modi or Kateel. I have no problem with any caste. I am proud of Bunts and I have always respected them," Poojary said.
"I am proud of my caste; every person should be proud of his or her caste and must respect it and never be ashamed. We have never divided the society on the basis of caste, it is the BJP which discriminates the society on the basis of religion," he said.
U T Khadar, J R Lobo, Kallige Tharanath Shetty, Ibrahim Kodijal, Harikrishna Bantwal, Ivan D’Souza, Arun Coelho, T K Sudhir, Nazeer Bajal, A C Bhadary, Shashidhar Hegde and others were present.