The Hindu

Udupi, Feb 21: Former Union Minister and Congress leader D.K. Taradevi Siddartha said on Friday that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) only contribution in the seven months of its rule to the State was creation of disharmony among people.

She was speaking at a function, organised by the Udupi Block Congress, as part of the party’s “Vijay deeksha abhiyan” here. Ms. Siddartha said the way BJP handled the recent pub attack in Mangalore showed its dictatorial attitude. Moral policing had reached alarming proportions in coastal districts. The BJP was making political capital out of the gravest crisis affecting the country. When the terrorists attacked some places in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, the BJP, instead of cooperating with the Union Government, made it an issue for the Assembly elections. But that attempt was rebuffed by the people, she said.

Although Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa had taken the oath of office in the name of farmers, the police shot down two farmers in Haveri last year, within days of the BJP assuming charge in the State. Farmers had been protesting against the implementation of Upper Bhadra Project in Tarikere of Chikmagalur district for the past 20 days. But no Minister from the BJP government had enquired about them. Poor people in rural areas were worst hit by the confusion prevailing over the distribution of ration cards. The BJP was claiming credit for the roads being laid in rural areas under Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana (GSY), she said.