Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (NP)
Udupi, Mar 15: Union minister Pralhad Joshi, during his visit to Udupi, along with his wife Jyoti Joshi, paid a visit to the Sri Krishna Math. They sought the blessings of Lord Krishna and participated in prayers at the temple. The Paryaya Puttige Math honoured him, and he had a meeting with Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji. The minister also took part in the Annabrahma Prasadam at the temple premises, reflecting on the spiritual and cultural heritage of the region.
Pralhad Joshi made strong remarks regarding the gold smuggling case linked to the state government. He criticized the Karnataka government, alleging that officials had escorted the accused and allowed them to bypass security checks. “The involvement of state ministers is being mentioned, yet the government remains silent. How was gold smuggled by evading customs through protocol arrangements? What was the intelligence department doing until central agencies intervened?” Joshi questioned. He emphasized that illegal funds and gold are often used for anti-social activities and insisted, “The investigation must be handed over to the CBI for a thorough probe.”
On the issue of Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin rejecting the rupee symbol, Joshi expressed his disappointment. “This is a matter of national interest. Did Narendra Modi or BJP introduce the rupee symbol? No, it was done during the Congress-led UPA government. The then Finance Minister P Chidambaram, along with leaders like A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran, were part of the government. Why was this decision taken then?” he asked. Joshi criticized the DMK for politicizing the issue, stating, “Even the designer of the symbol was from Tamil Nadu. You cannot make such statements to cover up your government's failures.”
Addressing Pakistan’s allegation that India provoked the train hijack incident, Joshi dismissed it as baseless. “The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has already given a detailed response. Pakistan’s governance has collapsed, and even diplomats fear visiting the country. Blaming India is childish. Our policy has always been to ensure peace globally".
Regarding internal disagreements within the Karnataka BJP, Joshi acknowledged the concerns but assured that the party high command is handling the situation. Referring to the recent clash between BJP leaders Pradeep Eshwar and P C Mohan, he remarked, “I will not comment on inappropriate words used by individuals, but political language should maintain decorum.”