Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Feb 4: District in-charge minister, Vinay Kumar Sorake, has accused BJP leaders of coining the concept of Yettinahole project and then trying to pass on the blame to Congress government. He also said that the BJP leaders were the ones who had filed suit in Supreme Court towards snatching away Kumki rights of farmers. He further criticized BJP of not having the guts to oppose Udupi Power Corporation Ltd which is anti-people.

Sorake was addressing a meeting of Congress activists at Yellur near Padubidri on Tuesday February 3.

"Yettinahole project was cleared when BJP leader, Sadananda Gowda, was the chief minister of Karnataka. Nalin Kumar was a member of parliament even then. It seems that he did not have concern for environmental conservation then. Therefore, Nalin has now realized his folly and is undertaking Padayatra to oppose the said project. The person who filed petition in Supreme Court against Kumki rights was Mahabaleshwar Bhat, a veteran BJP leader. Because of wrong decisions of BJP leaders, people are taking to streets now. Congress never went against the interests of the people and popular opinions," he claimed.

The minister said that his party has, for the first time ever in the district, given party ticket to a person belonging to Vishwakarma community from Yellur zilla panchayat constituency, a step which no other party has taken so far. He reminded the activists that Congress was the party which implemented schemes which gave ownership to tillers, regularization of encroachment for poor farmers, Kumki rights, title deeds to people living in forests, Bagar Hukum scheme etc to empower working class.

Kaup block Congress president, Naveenchandra J Shetty, Yashwant Shetty Yellur, Kaup Diwakar Shetty, Dr Deviprasad Shetty Belapu, and several other leaders participated in the meeting.