Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)
Updated
Mangaluru, Jul 7: With just a few months to go for the all-important Karnataka Assembly elections, the Congress on Friday July 7 organized a Mysuru zonal-level convention in its efforts to stregthen the party in the coastal region.
AICC general secretary and Karnataka state in-charge K C Venugopal, chief minister Siddarmaiah, KPCC president Dr G Parameshwara, former chief minister Dr M Veerappa Moily, ministers D K Shivakumar, Dinesh Gundu Rao, S R Patil, Pramod Madhwaraj, M R Seetharam, Ramanath Rai, U T Khader, along with scores of other Congress leaders took part in the convention.
K C Venugopal, chief minister Siddaramaiah, Parameshwara and other leaders inaugurated the convention by lighting the ceremonial lamp.
Addressing the gathering, chief minister Siddaramaiah said, "Every Congress worker should be aware of the happenings in current-day politics in detail. Congress is not just a political party, it is a revolution. India has not yet secured full marks when it comes to social equality and harmony, so we need to work on this. Nowadays the country is facing challenges in maintaining communal harmony. We should to try to build good relationship between people of different religions. We have the ability to defeat the communal forces. Along with doing this, providing good administration is our another hallmark, and we have already shown it.
"BJP said that if the state government waives the loans of farmers, it will also do the same at the centre. We waived loans of farmers, but now the BJP is silent. BJP state president Yeddyurappa has ordered his party leaders to remain silent on this issue. At the time of by-elections in Gundlupet and Nanjangud, Yeddyurappa had termed it a war between him and me. But after the results were announced, I don't know where he went. The by-election results are an indication of the 2018 Assembly elections.
"BJP has no issue over which to do publicity against us. Their leaders have already been to jail, and in the eyes of the voters, they are criminals. So they have slowly started creating communal disturbances. But I want to tell them that Karnataka is not Uttar Pradesh. They cannot succeed here on their communal agenda.
"Our party will win the 2018 elections. This victory will help us to come to power at the centre too in 2019 elections. Don't believe in surveys. Work hard and win all seats," the CM told the party workers.
K C Venugopal said, "Mangaluru has always been known for communal harmony and for its own unique culture. Here people speaking different languages live in harmony, love and brotherhood. PM Narendra Modi is only good at giving speeches. His government as well as party have totally failed in giving good administration. Nothing good is happening under his government. The GST was our brainchild. The fact that the Modi government has implemented what the BJP was previously opposing shows its double standards.
"Siddaramaiah is doing a good job in Karnataka, and has proved to be a challenge to the Modi government. Nowadays BJP state president Yeddyurappa is having meals in the houses of Dalits, but when he was chief minister, he did not even look at them. BJP is doing politics in the name of religion and God. I request everyone not to fall into BJP's trap. Congress is known for communal harmony, so everybody should unite and start working for the upcoming elections. The target is to win 8 seats in Dakshina Kannada, two in Kodagu and five in Udupi." Though Venugopal began his speech in English, he concluded it in Malayalam.
Dr G Parameshwara said, "We all know Dakshina Kannada people have always stoof for peace and harmony, and that is why they elected Congress representatives in the last elections. But somewhere, some communal-minded people have started a war against harmony and secularism. The recent protest against Pejawar Swamiji indicates the danger that these minds pose. They do not have the patience to listen to the fact that Swamiji's gesture was noble. So we have to educate people on these communal forces.
"Our government is known for providing transparent and clean administration. Almost 95% of promises have been fulfilled. I challenge Yeddyurappa and the BJP to list their development works and do a comparison with our projects. They cannot. I think the BJP cannot sit silent. They use false propaganga to misguide the people. So we need to start our work from the block level. Congress rule is necessary for the nation and the state. I know Mangaluru people are famous for their intelligence. So my request to you make Dakshina Kannada a BJP-mukt district. Take a pledge to do this," he urged.
Addressing the gathering, Dinesh Gundu Rao said, "This conference was planned to strengthen the party in the Mysuru zone which also includes Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. The current union government is useless. It has been only renaming UPA government's schemes and projects and falsely taking credit as if everything is being done by Prime Minister Modi. When UPA was in power, Modi had opposed GST, but now the same Modi has implemented it. Modi-led government is cheating people with fake programmes.
"In Karnataka BJP is already smelling defeat. The Siddaramaiah government has already proved to be the common people's government. By implementing various pro-people projects, Siddaramaiah has won the hearts of entire population of Kannadigas. BJP is not getting any excuse to oppose the state government, so it is spreading communal violence especially in coastal and Malnad regions. Congress workers should expose the BJP agenda in these regions and stand against this," Rao urged.
Veerappa Moily said, "All party members should start preparing for the upcoming elections. That means not only public speeches and gatherings, the party members should also work at grassroots level. The state government's development plans should reach every home. In the coastal region we are already strong and have the ability to stop communal disturbances sponsored by BJP. If you see the progress or development report, Mangaluru and Udupi progressed during the the time of Congress rule in the state and at the centre. Congress is the state government that has made various reforms in education field. Our government has enabled the poor to obtain education.
"BJP is concentrating only on politics and on the ideology of communalism with the help of Sangh Parivar, Sri Rama Sene and others. BJP has not yet condemned Sri Rama Sene's protest against Pejawar Swamiji. They are supporting all types of communal protests and criminal activities.
"Congress will come to power again in the centre. Our party has a history of governing the country. Even Indira Gandhi was defeated, but within a short span of time she was back with record majority.
So there is no need to lose hope. We should take this as a mission," Moily said.
D K Shivakumar began his address by greeting the crowd in Tulu. "There is a belief that when Congress wins in Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada, it will also rule the state. Congress has a strong base in coastal districts, so there is hope. But you should not take it easy. We have many plus points on which we can do publicity. During this 4-year term, not a single minister or leader of the government went to jail. No one watched blue film in the Assembly, and no one engaged in bribery," he said, in an apparent dig at the previous BJP government.
"Our focus has been on developing every community. Our projects are not temporary. Our government is working not only on promises but with a clear goal to uplift people of all segments.
Siddaramaiah-led government has fulfilled majority of the promises. Modi-led BJP government is nothing in front of our Siddaramaiah-led government in terms of development and good administration," he said.
"I am happy with MLAs in Dakshina Kannada. They are very sincere in carrying out their duties. All party workers should support them. Everyone should forget groupism and come together for victory of Congress. Everyone should join hands to defeat BJP. No doubt, we will win by majority," he entreated.
Ramanath Rai said, "Our district is known for education and intelligence of its people. That is why people elected 8 Congress MLAs here last time. Only BJP and SDPI are involved in communal disturbances. Not a single Congress worker's name has cropped up in communal clashes. We are working only for development of the district and betterment of our people. I request all Congress members to work round the clock for the upcoming elections. We will surely win all the seats again."
Chief minister Siddaramaiah was felicitated by farmers on the occasion for recently announcing loan waiver.
Congress MLAs and MLCs from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi along with party workers were present.
District Congress president Harish Kumar welcomed the gathering.
Earlier Report
Won't allow anyone to disrupt law and order: CM Siddaramaiah in Mangaluru
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jul 7: Chief minister Siddarmaiah on Friday July 7 said that no one would be allowed to take law into one's hands and that strict action would be taken against anyone who violates the law.
He was speaking to reporters after arriving at Mangaluru Internation Airport here on Friday. The CM is in the city to participate in the Congress convention being held at Adyar.
Replying to a question on the recent clashes in the district especially in Bantwal, Siddaramaiah said, "Some anti-social elements are trying to disrupt law and order in the district. We are taking necessary action against them. We will not allow any organisation to take law into its hands. No matter what they try, we will stop them."
On the possibility of denotifying highways that pass through cities in the wake of Supreme Court's orders to close bars and pubs along highways, the CM said that the state government can only denotify the state highways and not national highways. "The government of India has to denotify the national highways that pass through cities. We will take up the matter."
The CM who arrived two hours late was accompanied by minister D K Shivakumar and Dinesh Gundu Rao. They were welcomed by ministers Ramanath Rai, U T Khader, MLA J R Lobo, MLC Ivan D'Souza mayor Kavita Sanil and other local Congress leaders.
Congress supporters who had gathered at the aiport raised slogans.