Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network-Mangaluru (MD)

Mangaluru, Nov 14: “Diwali is a festival of lights, a festival that drives away darkness and leads you to true knowledge. But in Dakshina Kannada district, Diwali became a festival of darkness. From the last few days, the intelligent people of Dakshina Kannada district are facing troubles and innocents are dying," said senior Congress leader Janardhan Poojary at the Congress party office, here on Saturday November 14.

Addressing the media, Poojary said, "Dakshina Kannada was shut down, and roads were blocked in the whole state. All business was down and shops were closed, daily wagers were left starving for the whole day. This was not a successful bandh. This was a forced bandh. Economy of the district has fallen and perishable goods are wasted. Fishermen could not sell their catch. People were afraid to come out of their houses. Family members of those who had gone out were worried that something would happen to them.

"The Supreme Court has already given the judgement on those who called for the bandh. They have to pay for the losses incurred during the bandh. What are chief minister Siddaramaiah and law minister T B Jayachandra doing? Is it not possible for them to take strict action against those who encourage bandh? Power is not permanent. I do not know why the CM has not taken any action. Those who make provocative speeches, spread hatred in the society and call for bandh must be punished according to the law," he said.

Regarding the celebration of Tipu Jayanti, Poojary said, "Sangh Parivar says that Tipu Jayanti should not be celebrated. I want to give them a piece of advice - if you do not like celebration of Tipu Jayanti, then in the next election try to defeat Congress and come to power and then you can ban the Tipu Jayanti. But instead of doing this, you (Sangh Parivar) are inciting communal clashes. Are you trying to close down the educational institutions? There are lacs of students from other district who have come here to study and businessmen from other countries are not ready to invest in Mangaluru because of the increasing violence. Prime Minister Modi has given a speech in London about peace and development of our country, but Sangh Parivar members are trying to defame Modi."

Addressing himself to the Sangh Parivar, he said, “Do you want peace in society or not? Modi has already tasted defeat in Bihar and this has to be a lesson for him to learn from." 

Commenting on Jnanpith awardee Girish Karnad's controversial statement on Tipu Jayanti, he said, "Girish Karnad should not have given such statements. He should not have compared Kempegowda to Chatrapati Shivaji. But Karnad has already apologized but the Sangh Parivar is still trying to make this a big issue. The statements made by Karnad will not affect the importance of Kempegowda.

"In school, there were lessons on Tipu Sultan as the Tiger of Mysore. But now the BJP and Sangh Parivar are trying to twist history. If you make this a big issue then in the coming elections you will see the results of your failure. You are trying to twist the history of India," he added.

On the recent murder of Harish at Manihalla near BC Road, he said, "Harish, who was stabbed to death near BC Road on Thursday November 12 was from a poor background. His father is suffering from cancer and mother has asthma. Harish was an innocent person who was not involved in any party. But the BJP has already said that Harish was its party worker, which is not true. His family is very poor and they need financial support."

Requesting the district in-charge minister Ramanath Rai to take stern action against people who perpetuate communal disharmony, Poojary said, "Those who give hate speech and trouble the society must be punished and made to come to the police station every week to sign. There are good people in BJP - 90 percent of them are good but the remaining are a little bad."

Former mayor Mahabala Maarla, deputy mayor Purushotham, Harikrishna Bantwal, T K Sudheer and others were also present.