Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (EP)

Puttur, Mar 15: Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday March 14 inaugurated the newly-constructed Mini Vidhana Soudha in Puttur and Morarji Desai Model Residential School for SC/STs at Balnad. He also laid the foundation stone for an additional building for inspection bungalow.

Later, addressing a programme at Kille ground, Siddaramaiah said, "Dakshina Kannada district is home for educated, cultured and intellectual people. Do not give scope for communal unrest among you. If anybody starts such unrest, everybody should raise their voices against it.

"There should be communal harmony in society and people of all religions should co-exist as children of one god. The government does not tolerate anybody who disrupts harmony and sparks unrest. Such anti-social elements will be dealt with strictly. The police department has been asked to take strict action against those who take law into their hands in the name of moral policing," he said.

The CM said that his government works in the interest of all people and treats everyone equally. "In democracy, people are the boss. Our government is bound by duty to provide social justice to all people. It is the responsibility of the government to treat everybody equally regardless of their differences. Some are criticizing that Siddaramaiah is trying to please Ahinda group. There are others who say that we are not in favour of Hindus. We are not in favour of any particular religion, either Hindus or minorities. We are in favour of all religions. Those who advocate Hinduism should understand it. It is our duty to implement the aim and aspirations of the Constitution. Everybody has an opportunity to make their religion grow within the framework of the Constitution. However nobody has the right to trouble others in the name of religion," he further said.

"Nobody wants communal unrest. Some people in the coastal area are attempting to disrupt communal harmony. Such people should not be given a chance to create trouble. It is important that everybody lives in peace, harmony and happiness. Development is not possible without harmony. Programmes should be organized in such a way that they do not hurt other religions. We will not allow anybody to indulge in moral policing and take law into their hands. There have been attacks on some places of worship in the coastal region. Our religion does not permit that. Do not give room for such problems in the district of intelligent and educated people," he reiterated.

Terming his recent budget as the 'budget of social justice', he said, "We are in favour of farmers and the downtrodden. The budget is pro-development. Everybody should get financial and social justice. We have brought about a law for taking action against officials if the amount allotted for a particular purpose is misused.

"We have sanctioned Rs 29 crore as compensation for farmers whose arecanut plantations were destroyed due to disease in the district. No other government did so much. There should not be criticism for political gains. The reality should be brought to the attention of the people," he said, adding, "I have presented three budgets after our government came to power. The present budget is in favour of farmers, poor and the exploited. We have given people-friendly programmes in it. We have tried to identify the poor in all communities and bring them to the mainstream."

On the contentious Kasturirangan report, he said, "The Kasturirangan report is being implemented by the union government and we have formed a sub-committee on ministerial level to discuss on the report. The sub committee will be holding meetings and special village level meetings and will be submitting the report to the union government. The union government will be taking action on it. Let union minister D V Sadananda Gowda and MP Shobha Karandlaje speak about the report at the centre," he said.

District in charge minister Ramanath Rai praised CM saying he had presented a pro-people budget taking into consideration all groups of people and especially the weaker sections. "The government has solved the deemed forests problem," he said.

MLA Shakuntala Shetty presided over the programme and said that Puttur should be made the rural district centre of DK. "A medical college should be sanctioned for Puttur area. The birth places of Koti Chennaya, Padumale, Beeramale, Bendr Theertha and Uppinangady should together be made the tourist centre. The amount set aside for the memorial of Shivarama Karanth should be given for Balabhavana in Puttur."

Minister of Revenue Dr H C Mahadevappa, energy minister D K Shivakumar, minister of urban development Vinay Kumar Sorake, women and children welfare minister Umashree, minister of youth affairs and sports, Abhayachandra Jain, state social welfare board president Divya Prabha Chilthadka, MLA B Mohiuddin Bava, MLC Ivan D’ Souza, president of town municipal council Nellikatte Jagadish Shetty, and others were present.

Deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim welcomed. Tahsildar M T Kulle Gowda proposed the vote of thanks. Retired professor B J Suvarna compered the programme.

The programme was delayed by two hours as CM arrived late.