Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Jun 24: BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa on Friday June 23 attacked Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister Ramanath Rai over his purported instructions to the police to arrest RSS leader Dr Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat in the wake of the recent clashes at Kalladka in Bantwal, and said that Rai was misusing in power and the chief minister should sack him from the cabinet.

Addressing a press meet at the BJP office here, Yeddyurappa said, "Rai is misusing his political power. This is the best example of his high-handed attitude. If the chief minister is a responsible person, he will sack Rai from the cabinet. If anyone touches Prabhakar Bhat, the result will not be good. Rai does not know the consequences, so he is talking like this. This is all about vote bank politics. He is doing this to gain the confidence of a certain community."

Claiming that the popular Anna Bhagya scheme of the state government receives substantial support from the centre, Yeddyurappa said, "The Anna Bhagya scheme is being run by the central government, so also other schemes like LED bulb distribution, but the CM has stamped his name on them as if he has done it all.The centre gives Rs 7,300 crore for running Anna Bhagya scheme apart from 1.6 lac metric connes of wheat. Therefore, pictures of Narendra Modi should be prominently displayed at all fair price shops," he demanded.

"The central government is purchasing 1,65,000 metric tons of rice at a cost of Rs 32 per kg and distributing it for Rs 3 per kg. Nearly 65,000 metric tons of wheet is purchased at a cost of Rs 22 per kg and provided to the state at Rs 2. Let boards be hung in front of all fair prices shops that Anna Bhagya is being provided by the central government, so that people know the reality," he said.

Regarding the state government's decision to waive farmers' loans, Yeddyurappa said, "When I was the deputy chief minister (during JD(S)-BJP coalition government), we waived Rs 25,000 of farmer loans, something H D Kumaraswamy had never done before. During the tenure of Jagadish Shettar as chief minister, he waived crop loans twice.

"The state is facing severe drought, but the CM has waived only a small amount of loan. The amount of debt clearance should be increased to Rs 1 lac. Prime Minister Modi does not show discrimination in providing financial support to Karnataka. As much as Rs 1,15,000 crore of funds has been sanctioned under the 14th Finance Commission for various departments, but CM Siddaramaiah has failed to use that fund. All in all, the state government is looting the funds. Nearly Rs 3,808 crore was sanctioned by the central government for the development of slum colonies, but nowhere can we see any such development," he said, adding that PM Modi is working beyond people's expectations.

Attacking JD(S) state president Kumaraswamy, he said, "Kumaraswamy is caught in many scandals, and as he is unable to overcome them, he is speaking disdainfully about the BJP. I have never commented on him in publicly anywhere, but now I will give him a fitting reply with all documents.

"For the last one month, I have been visiting various districts as per schedule, and so far I have toured 25 districts. I have listened to the grievances of SC/ST community people and shared meals with them," he said.

"Now the CM is spreading poisonous seeds about caste system. It is a well-planned conspiracy being played by the Siddaramaiah government. The public will teach him a lesson one day," he added.

Udupi Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje, district BJP president Mattaru Rathnakar Hegde, BJP leader Kumar Bangarappa, former Udupi MLA Raghupati Bhat, Thingale Vikramarjuna Hegde, Yashpal Suvarna, Shreesha Nayak, Sheela K Shetty and others were present.

Karkala visit

R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network – Karkala (EP)

Karkala, Jun 23: Earlier, Yeddyurappa visited the Dalit colony at Mannigudde in Nakre here. Participating in a public meeting held later, he said that if BJP were to come to power in the next Assembly polss, the amount fixed for the SC/ST community to construct houses will be increased

He also stressed on the need for education and healthcare among the Dalits and said that everyone should be able to be self-reliant.

MLA V Sunil Kumar said that the state government has 'failed completely' in providing drought relief. "Therefore, former CM B S Yeddyurappa is touring the state to understand the effects of drought and solve the problems. The intention is not to hold only grand meetings, rallies or processions but to go to Dalit colonies, hold discussions with the people and to conduct meetings," he said.

"It is a matter of great pleasure that a person who was the chief inister is participating in such meetings in Karkala. Several problems that are plaguing Nakre area will be solved soon," Sunil Kumar said.

The leaders visited the house of Kukkundur gram panchayat member Shobha and had snacks there.

MP Shobha Karandlaje, Udupi district panchayat president Dinakar, taluk panchayat president Malini J Shetty, former MP Jayaprakash Hegde, Udupi district president Mattaru Rathnakar Hegde, Karkala BJP president Maniraj Shetty, Thingale Vikramarjuna Hegde and others were present.