Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jan 5: The Congress members of the zilla panchayat (ZP) here, walked out from the session on Monday January 4, protesting against the state government’s failure to release grants to the zilla panchayat.

ZP president, Gladys D’Almeida, was in the chair. Member Janardan Tonse, who raised the topic, pointed out that during the entire year, no grants had been released to the ZP by the state government. Expressing his inability to face the questions being raised by the people of his constituency, he demanded that the session be called off.

Some BJP members started talking against his demand. ZP member, Bhujanga Shetty, balmed the government of planning to release the funds meant for the ZPs to MLAs. As members from both the sides started to speak in raised voices, din prevailed at the venue for some time, after which, the Congress members walked out, vowing not to take part in the session till the grants are released. While Upendra Nayak blamed the central government for not releasing its share of grants, B N Shankar Poojary, the lone Congress member not to have walked out with his party men, suggested that a decision be taken after discussions. Gladys D’Almeida said that she had taken up the issue with the district in-charge minister, Dr V S Acharya, who had told her that the grants would be released soon.

After about 40 minutes, two BJP members and the president and vice-president of the zilla panchayat, succeeded in convincing the Congress members to join the session. The Congress members warned that they will continue to absent from future sessions till grants are released.