Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 2: Taking a dig at state health minister U T Khader openly, veteran Congress leader B Janardhan Poojary questioned the minister on the relevance of getting No 1 spot in Karnataka, if he is unable to provide drinking water facility at the home for the aged located within his own constituency.

"I put in efforts, spoke to Sonia, and saw that the party allots you assembly ticket. In the recent past, in spite of my failing health, I pursued the matter with Sonia again and played an important role in making you minister. Still, you belied the trust reposed by me in you. Being a cabinet minister and getting hailed as No 1 in the state, you have miserably failed in providing drinking water to this Ashram," he chided.

Speaking after celebrating the birthday of Congress national president Sonia Gandhi at the 'Abhayashrama' at Asaigoli, Konaje on Friday January 1, he confessed that he could not visit the Ashram on Sonia's birthday, as election code of conduct was in force.

When Poojary expressed his impatience at the drinking water problem at the facility, Khader, with a smiling face, promised to do the needful at the earliest, perhaps knowing fully well that Poojary always has remained his well-wisher. Poojary took a dig at Khader when head of the Ashram, Srinath Hegde, requested him to solve the drinking water problem that has plaguing the Ashram since long.

Konaje gram panchayat vice president, Lalita S Rao, sought to clarify that borewell had not been dug for the Ashram because of scarcity of underground water table in the area. Expressing his resentment at this remark, Poojary warned that people from the district may not get water in future years if the largest river base feeding the district is diverted as per plans. He said he is distraught at the silence of Khader, in whom he has lot of faith, over this matter.

Congress leaders like Kallige Taranath Shetty, Sadashiva Ullal, Eshwar Ullal, and a number of others were present.

Poojary blasts DVS, Moily, govts over Yettinahole project

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

Mangaluru, Jan 2: Senior Congress leader Janardhan Poojary on Saturday January 2 lambasted both the central and the state governements over the controversial Yettinahole project, and particularly union law minister D V Sadananda Gowda for his statement that he had no idea about MP Nalin Kumar Kateel leading a delegation to meet the union ministers concerned. 

Addressing a press meet at the district Congress office here, Poojary said, "The central and the state governments are trying to implement the Yettinahole project. They have a policy to protect the forests and particularly, they need to protect the Western Ghats and other ghats. The central government has enforced a law prohibiting destruction of these forests. Karnataka has about 10 lac hectares of forest land, but the central and state governments are trying to prove that half of it, that is 5 lac hectares, is not forest. Forget about fighting, MLAs and MPs irrespective of party are not even talking about this.

"The MP of this region (Nalin Kumar Kateel) has said that if Yettinahole project is implemented then he would perform Kar Seva (offering a service for a religious cause). Forget Kar Seva, he does not even have the guts to talk against the minister and former MP of his party (Sadananda Gowda). I will appreciate if he performs Kar Seva, as he will live up to his word," he said.

Training guns on Sadananda Gowda without naming him, he said, "A former chief minister is never available for press reporters - he comes in the dark secretly and goes back. When some reporters went in search of him and asked him questions, he gave irresponsible answers. Both the former CMs (Sadananda Gowda and Veerappa Moily) of this state are giving full support to this project and they are using all kinds of tactics and means to achieve their end. I want to ask them - does Yettinahole not join Netravati? Did Netravati not give water to our fields and increase the economic status of the people of this region? Sadananda Gowda says he was unaware about the delegation which had gone to Delhi to meet the ministers concerned. Does he not read newspapers? The MP of this region is from his own party. Does he not have contact with him? Either he is not in touch with the MP or there are serious differences between them."

Challenging Sadananda Gowda and Veerappa Moily to contest from Dakshina Kannada in the next elections, he said, "I want to ask both the former CMs - did you not drink Netravati water? Now you are trying to destroy this mother - Will god forgive you? Have you seen the other side of Netravati river? Is there enough water? If you have the courage, then contest from Dakshina Kannada next time. Do not run away. Win and loss is common, but do not be a coward. You contested from places 350 km away your hometowns.

"A central forest committee had come to Yettinahole project site for inspection without informing anyone locally. The officials came secretly and went back without meeting the protestors," he added.

"Poojary has lost the elections, but his voice is not lost. His voice is still alive," he declared referring to himself.

Slamming chief minister Siddaramaiah over the Yettinahole project, he said, "Sonia Gandhi had informed the chief minister through Ahmed Patel to get in touch with me to discuss the Yettinahole issue. But the CM did not respect her word. There are about 60-70 percent of farmers in rural areas. Are you (Siddaramaiah) trying to kill them? I urge the protestors to fight against the project in the Green Tribunal Court. The Western Ghats is a gift by god. Can the CM or the PM create it?"

Criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue of corruption, he said, "Everyone talks about fighting corruption, but all are lying. Media has brought out corruption of your (Modi's) ministers, cabinet, MPs and chief ministers of your party. There were some people involved in corruption in Congress also, but they were removed from power. What action have you taken against Vasundhara Raje, union minister Sushma Swaraj, Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh? Don't you have courage to get their cases investigated? If BJP leaders indulge in corruption, it is fine, but if a peon takes even a hundred rupees, it is corruption and a crime."

"It has been one year and eight months since you (Modi) came to power. You have visited 26 countries so far, but you did not have time to visit even one house where a farmer committed suicide. Lately you have realized this, and now you are saying you will meet the farmers. Your party has lost power in Bihar, almost all the rural areas in Gujarat and next you will lose at the national level also. So wake up now and govern in the right manner," he said.

Asked why he was blaming the central government when the Yettinahole project was being undertaken by the state government, he said, "In all projects the centre and the state have equal shares, so both are responsible."

Asked to comment on Harikrishna Bantwal's expulsion from Congress, he said, "I had told him not to contest the state council elections, but he did not listen and now he has been expelled for six years."

On his absence at Congress MLC Pratapchandra Shetty's victory celebrations, he declined to give a direct answer and said, "I had told all the party workers to strive for the victory of the party's candidate and you have seen the result."