Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jun 16: BJP district president, Udayakumar Shetty, branded Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission report on reservations to minorities, as injurious to the interests of backward classes. He warned that implementation of the commission’s recommendations will prove detrimental to the interests of the nation.

He was addressing a preliminary meeting of the party’s office bearers from Mangalore, Udupi and Chikmagalur regions held at the district BJP office here on Tuesday June 15. The meeting was convened in connection with the mega convention proposed to be organized at Palace Grounds Bangalore by the party on July 4 this year, to oppose the report of the commission.

“The Congress is planning to reduce the present reservation quota of 27% available to backward classes, to 15% and transfer the benefit to minorities. As this is against the interests of the backward classes, we oppose it in Toto,” he declared. He alleged that the Congress accepted the commission’s report in the parliament when the BJP had walked out, and that it was a vote bank gimmick aimed at appeasing the Muslims and the Christians.

Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation chairman, M D Laxminarayan, speaking on the occasion, called upon the people from backward sections of the society to reject the report of the above commission, as they are already finding it hard to avail of various facilities extended for their benefit.

Although the party had said that ministers, Katta Subrahmanya Naidu and Anand Asnotikar would take part in the meeting, the two did not turn up. Party leaders, Shyamsundar Gaikwad, Shivanand Nayak, state BJP Yuvamorcha president, Sunil Kumar, Dakshina Kannada BJP president, Padmanabh Kottary, Ramachandar Bykampady, MLA, Lalaji R Mendon etc., were present.