Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Jan 12: Comments appearing in various social sites have been critical of BJP, which has been charged with making use of images of legendary heroes of Tulunadu, Koti and Chennaya, for getting political mileage. This outcry is against use of pictures of these legends in a huge banner in which photos of Amit Shah, Narendra Modi and B S Yeddyurappa also appeared. This banner was used as backdrop at the BJP meeting held in the town on Wednesday January 10.

This banner was used at a meeting organized by BJP to collect public opinion towards creating its manifesto for the assembly election. MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel, district BJP president, Sanjeeva Matandoor, former MLAs, N Yogeesh Bhat and Mallika Prasad, zilla panchayat president, Meenakshi Shantigodu and taluk panchayat president, Bhavani Chidanand among others had participated.

A huge banner giving details of the programme had been erected behind the dais, which predominantly displayed the heading, 'Navabharatakkagi Navakarnataka'. As soon as this information spread, condemnations, objections, and anguish started appearing in social websites. Many said that Koti and Chennaya reflect divine powers and they are beyond the comprehension of caste and religious considerations. Therefore, many felt that it was wrong to use their pictures for political advantage. There were some who supported this measure.

President of Yuvavahini organization here, Udaya Kolady, said that using pictures of these great legends in political progrmmes is not right and therefore he is opposed to it. Local MLA, Shakuntala Shetty, felt that it was an insult to Koti and Chennaya, who fought against exploitation by the rulers.

Daklshina Kannada district BJP president, Sanjeeva Matandoor, said that high level meeting of the party had decided to use pictures of visionaries, historic persons etc hailing from particular regions at meetings held in these places. He added that on these lines, it has been decided to use picture of Rani Abbakka at Mangaluru meeting. "Puttur being the birth place of Koti and Chennaya, we used their pictures. That was not done with any political motive," he clarified.