Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 9: Former union minister, B Janardhana Poojary, offered special puja at Lord Gokarnanatheshwara temple at Kudroli here on Monday August 8, seeking divine intervention for early recovery of All India Congress Committee president, Sonia Gandhi, who is undergoing treatment at a Delhi hospital for the fracture in her left arm.

Poojary, who performed Maharudrabhisheka to the presiding deity of the temple, besides praying for Sonia Gandhi, also sought well being for chief minister, Siddaramaiah, and his family. He said that he had written a letter to Siddaramaiah and his wife sometime back, wishing for early recovery of his son.

Former minister, Motamma, MLA, J R Lobo, former city mayors, Mahabala Marla and Gulzar Banu, corporators, Lancylot Pinto, Deepak Poojary, Appi, Radhakrishna, and a number of other leaders were present.

Praise for Narendra Modi

Speaking on this occasion, Poojary hailed prime minister, Narendra Modi, for asking the people to shoot him instead of attacking the dalits. He said Modi had shown maturity through this statement. He also welcomed Modi's statement against self-styled cow protectors. On the issue of appointing Shyam Bhat as chairman of Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), he felt that Bhat should not be given that position, as he has been facing several allegations. He asked the chief minister not to take the wrong step of appointing Bhat to the post.

Motamma felt that sincere and dedicated politicians like Janardhana Poojary should be appointed as president of Karnataka State Congress Committee. She felt that the practice of appointing officers to the chairmanship of Karnataka Public Service Commission should be done away with. She welcomed Modi's statement against fake protectors of cows, but felt that the prime minister should have come out with statement providing solace to victims of Dadri and Gujarat incidents.