Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (HB/SP)
Udupi, Jun 25: "The BJP leaders had been terming the decisions of the previous UPA government at the centre as wrong. Now they have been hiking rates and allowing prices to rise. When questioned, they claim that they are just implementing the decisions taken by the UPA regime. If the Modi government is happy in executing plans of the UPA government, what was the need or justification for bringing a change at the centre," wondered former union minister, Oscar Fernandes.
He was addressing a protest meet organized near the service bus stand here on Tuesday June 24 under the aegis of Udupi block Congress committee and Udupi assembly constituency youth Congress unit against the NDA government.
Oscar took the central government to task for revised railway fare and rising price of sugar. He questioned what justification can the central government give for its moves which result in rise in prices and how can NDA, which branded various decisions of the Congress government as wrong, now claim them to be right. He pointed out that the BJP and its partners had objected the hike in train fares when the move was discussed in the parliament.
"When we were in power, the BJP had organized protests against hiking sugar prices. Modi, who initially promised to brighten the future of the country by instructing the bureaucrats to discuss all issues with him instead of individual ministers, has exhibited his autocratic style of functioning. The union ministers are now confused about what to do and what not to," he criticized.
Congress leaders like Amrut Shenoy and district Congress general secretary, Narasimha Murthy also spoke on the occasion. M A Gafoor, Harish Kini, Janardan Bhandarkar municipal president, Yuvaraj Puttur, vice president, Amruta Krishnamurty and others were present.
A press statement issued by block Congress presidents, Sudhakar N Kotian and Neere Krishna Shetty, said, that a protest against the NDA government's move to hike prices will be organized in front of Karkala taluk office on Wednesday June 25 at 4 pm, with the participation of Oscar Fernandes former MLA, H Gopal Bhandary and others.