Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network - Byndoor

Byndoor, Jul 21: K Gopal Poojary, former MLA of Byndoor, has refuted the claims made in a viral audio recording purportedly featuring a Kollur temple priest. Poojary asserts that the accusations are completely false and has announced that the Congress party will file a defamation suit against the priest.

Speaking at a press conference in Byndoor, Poojary revealed that complaints have already been lodged at several police stations, including Kollur, Shankaranarayana, and Kundapur. A complaint has also been filed with the Udupi Cyber Crime unit. Poojary stated that, after discussions with the Deputy Chief Minister, the Congress party will proceed with the defamation case.

Are Officials BJP Workers? - Gopal Poojary criticizes MLA Gururaj Gantihole

Responding to allegations from Byndoor MLA Gururaj Gantihole, who accused former MLA Gopal Poojary of obstructing development projects, Poojary fired back. He questioned whether government officials are functioning as BJP workers since Gantihole conducts meetings with officials at the party office instead of the official MLA office.

Poojary dismissed the allegations as mere propaganda, emphasizing that during his tenure as MLA, he never obstructed development efforts led by his predecessors, Lakshminarayana and Sukumar Shetty. He stressed that it is the MLA's duty to secure funding for development projects and called on Gantihole to stop blaming others and focus on actual development work, offering his support for genuine efforts.

Call for investigation into land transfers, substandard work

Poojary demanded a thorough investigation into the unauthorized transfer of 1.06 cents of land reserved for the Tourism Department and into substandard construction projects. He claimed that shoddy and unscientific work conducted during the BJP government’s tenure in Byndoor has exacerbated landslides during this year’s monsoon.

Relief for landslide victims and farmers

Poojary also emphasized the need for permanent measures to prevent landslides in Ottinene. He called for a comprehensive investigation into the poor-quality work in Padubidri, which led to a total collapse.

He urged the government to provide compensation to the family of the woman who died in a landslide in Kollur, and to support farmers whose areca nut and rice crops were destroyed by heavy rains. Poojary insisted that the government utilize funds from the Deputy Commissioner's flood relief fund and provide seeds to farmers for replanting.

Present at the press conference were Byndoor Block Congress president Aravind Poojary, leaders Ramesh Ganiga, Raju Poojary, Madan Kumar, Prakashchandra Shetty, Vijay Shetty Kalthodu, Sadashiva Padubidri, Babu Shetty, and others.