Vinobha KT/ENS
Mangalore, Apr 30: Congress leaders in the district are still in dilemma on whether to oppose the Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) project or speak in favour of it. A large number of voters in Moodbidri constituency belong to the region where majority of their land were notified for MSEZ second phase.
MSEZ Limited is striving to acquire 2,035 acres of land for the second phase of MSEZ project from villages in Moodbidri constituency eventhough massive agitations were being carried out by the villagers against the project under the banner of Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Samiti.
The Congress candidate from Moodbidri constituency Abhayachandra Jain had already declared his anti-MSEZ stand after the declaration of election. At the same time former MLA and Surathkal Congress Block president Vijayakumar Shetty have formed a Pragathipara Krishikara Vedike (PKV) to help those villagers who are willing to sell their land for MSEZ second phase.
Congress leaders who organised a press meet here on Monday evaded queries from media on expressing their stand on the MSEZ project. Mohiuddin Bava, the Congress candidate from Mangalore North constituency who called the press meet managed to skip queries of journos by handing over the mike to former minister B A Moideen.
Though Moideen argued for a sustainable development without environmental pollution, he could not speak on the party's stand on MSEZ issue and refused to comment on people's agitation in villages. Vijayakumar Shetty who was present at the press meet clarified that he had formed the PKV on request from villagers. He said that he was never in support of establishing any polluting mega industry in the region. But Shetty also was not able to declare his party's stand on the issue.
When mediapersons asked Congress leaders repeatedly on their party's official stand on MSEZ issue, Vijayakumar Shetty managed to get away from the issue by passing the onus on higher ups. He said senior leaders in Congress would take a clear stand on MSEZ project in coming days.
Meanwhile BJP candidate in Moodbidri Jagadish Adhikari is the vice-president of Jayashreekrishna Parisara Premi Samiti which has welcomed MSEZ project.