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

Mangaluru, Nov 21: Senior Congress leader Janardhan Poojary on Saturday November 21 hit out at the Congress state government as well as the opposition BJP over the controversial Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project and alleged that all the political parties were doing 'drama' over the issue.

Addressing a press meet at the district Congress office here, Poojary said, "The state government is showing no signs of dropping the Yettinahole project and irrigation minister M B Patil is giving all kinds of statements in the Assembly.

"Media reports and activists who are against the project have stated that the National Green Tribunal has issued a stay on the project, but the government claims the contrary. I cannot understand why this this happening," he added.

"BJP is doing drama over the issue. Yettinahole project is a threat to the coastal area and it will not be useful to the parched districts of Kolar and Chikkaballapur or the border areas. The state government is inactive. All political parties are doing drama," he lashed out.

"Even doctors in Kolar and Chikkaballapur came to the streets leaving their hospitals demanding permanent water solution, and so also farmers and students. What has happened to the state government? Why is it trying to finish off the coastal region?" he said.

Slamming the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "All BJP MPs in Karnataka along with union ministers from the state should meet only the Prime Minister and not any other minister and discuss this issue. The PM is on a foreign tour - he has no time to solve the problems of India. Has he visited the house of any farmer? When he comes back to India, the MPs and ministers should go and meet him and ask him to solve this problem.

"The state government has failed in this matter and the union ministers are sleeping," he added.

Training guns on union law minister D V Sadananda Gowda and former chief minister Veerappa Moily, he said, "Sadananda Gowda comes to Mangaluru and Kolar and gives all kinds of contradictory statements. Moily says no one can stop the Yettinahole project. It is the dharma of politicians to solve this problem. When people are protesting peacefully in a civilized manner, what are you (politicians) doing? The PM and CM should come out of their sleep."

Commenting on BJP motorcycle rally against the project, he said it was rally to 'promote motorcycle companies' rather than to raise voice against the Yettinahole project.

Moving on to other issues, Poojary lambasted the private members bill tabled in the Assembly by former speaker and present MLA Ramesh Kumar which seeks to put a curb on lavish weddings. "I Ramesh Kumar, he is a good man and an intellectual. I respect him. This is my advice to him - A person marries once in his life and gives lunch to all; and even when he dies, there lunch for all but the person is not aware of it. Those who want to can provide lunch to as many people as they want - what is the problem in it and why do you want to control this? Do you want to become a government that controls everything? Is this part of the manifesto? You want officers to count the members in a marriage. There is the income tax department to keep eye on those who spend beyond their means. Do you want government officers to search homes during a marriage and create tension? No one, including the chief minister and the opposition parties should support this bill. This bill if passed will also lead to corruption. It is an invasion of people's privacy. There are a lot more important works to be done in the state."

"There are 200 promises in the manifesto, out of which only 110 have been fulfilled so far. Let the government fulfil the remaining promises," he added.

Commenting on the BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy's allegation that AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi is a Britiesh national, Poojary said, "BJP is engaging in cheap politics. What may Rahul Gandhi be feeling on hearing such a claim? He is the grandson of Indira Gandhi and son of Rajiv Gandhi. BJP wants to finish the Gandhi family. It is twisting history. In those days cases were also filed against Indira Gandhi, but what was the consequence? The party which filed the cases was routed. BJP has already tasted this in Delhi and Bihar."

Former mayor Mahabala Maarla, T K Sudhir and others were present.