Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Aug 24: Congress spokesperson M G Hegde, during a press conference in the city, sharply criticized BJP MLA Dr Bharat Shetty for his recent statement referring to Addoor in Gurpur village as ‘a part of enemy country’.
Hegde questioned the implications of such a statement, asking, "If there is a ‘a part of enemy country’ in Mangaluru, who is responsible? This suggests a complete failure of the union government and the defence ministry. Such a statement is an insult to the Indian Army and the government. By calling a part of Mangaluru ‘a part of enemy country’, Dr Bharat Shetty has insulted the Prime Minister, the defence minister, and all Indians. He should apologize to the nation for such a reckless remark."
Hegde also raised issues related to illegal activities during the BJP's tenure, stating, "During your party’s rule, the Green Tribunal imposed a fine of Rs 50 crore for illegal sand mining and quarrying. Why was this fine imposed? Who is the contractor involved? There are illegal sand dunes on either side of the Gurpur bridge, who do they belong to? Congress has consistently fought against these issues."
He warned of the potential consequences of such statements, saying, "If you speak like this, it could incite violence, but who will end up fighting? Neither you nor I, innocent youths will. If Addoor has indeed become ‘a part of enemy country’, why was this not reported to the district administration? Dr Bharat Shetty received 1,000 votes from the four polling booths in Addoor, does that mean he got votes from citizens of an ‘enemy country’?"
Hegde further criticized the rhetoric of certain MLAs, remarking, "Only the MLAs from Mangaluru North and Mangaluru city are making baseless statements. They want to assert their relevance. Meanwhile, a new candidate is roaming around with the local MP. In the north, there is a Shetty woman, which is why Dr Bharat always targets the minority to show his presence."
He concluded by calling for an investigation, stating, "Let the Karnataka home department conduct an inquiry with MLA Dr Bharat Shetty on how Addoor has become ‘a part of enemy country’. If minorities support BJP, they are called Indians, but not, they are not as nationalistic as them. BJP even complained against the people of Ayodhya for not voting for them. Someone in the BJP should advise Kamath and Dr Bharat to focus more on development."