Media Release
Udupi, Jul 22: Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna's derogatory remark about the district in-charge minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar's recent visit to flood and coastal erosion-affected areas, calling it a "chikki tinndu hoda haage" (like a joyride), has sparked controversy. KPCC spokesperson Veronica Cornelio criticized Suvarna, stating that his comments reflect his inexperience in politics and his lack of basic decency in addressing a female minister.
Despite being the only woman minister in the cabinet and having significant responsibilities, Minister Hebbalkar dedicated her Sunday to touring the district from morning till evening to assess the damage from floods and coastal erosion, not for a joyride, Cornelio pointed out. She questioned whether Suvarna’s recent visit to coastal erosion areas was an evening walk or a genuine attempt to understand the issues.
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Cornelio further remarked that Udupi has seen several BJP MLAs and ministers in the past, but never someone as immature as Suvarna. Even after a year in office, Suvarna has failed to bring a single project to the constituency, unlike his predecessors who at least achieved 5% of their promises. The public is well aware of his shortcomings.
The BJP often claims to respect women as mothers, yet Suvarna’s remarks about a female minister show a lack of basic etiquette, Cornelio said. She highlighted several unresolved issues in the constituency, including the stalled Indrali Railway Bridge project, the unscientific National Highway problem, damaged roads due to inadequate rain-proofing, and the poorly progressing Malpe-Tirthahalli road work.
Instead of addressing these issues, Suvarna has spent his year criticizing others. Cornelio advised that if Suvarna truly cared for his constituency, he should have accompanied the minister during her visit to bring local issues to her attention, rather than engaging in petty politics. She concluded her press release by urging Suvarna to follow the example set by previous ministers and work towards development, which would make the people proud of him.