Daijiworld media Network - Bengaluru (MS)
Bengaluru, Feb 7: BJP MLCs on Tuesday February 6 held dharna in the state Legislative Council accusing the Congress government of 'playing politics in the meals for poor children too' for stopping the free midday meals that was provided for poor students of Sri Rama School in Kalladka by Kollur temple.
BJP MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary raised the issue during the Q&A session and questioned, "Why were free meals that were being given to 2,500 students of Sri Rama School, a system that was being followed for the last 11 years, stopped suddenly? Who recommended this? Is this because this particular school is in Kalladka or because the name of the school is Sri Rama?"
Replying to the query, Rudrappa Lamani, muzrai minister, said, "Kollur temple falls under the muzrai department. According to the Karnataka Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, there is no provision to provide free meals to private school students. That is why the practice was stopped. Similar action has been taken in other schools also which were getting free meals from temples under the muzrai department of the government of Karnataka.
"Providing free meals to school children from the funds of the temple since 11 years itself is a grave mistake. The government cannot carry out any act for which there is no provision in the law. The government is willing to verify the requests for free meals in these schools, if they apply for the same."
Eshwarappa accuses Ramanath Rai
K S Eshwarappa, the leader of the opposition, who got furious with the reply that was given by Rudrappa, said, "There was no problem in providing free meals till Ramanath Rai, district in-charge minister of Dakshina Kannada, wrote letter to the government. Immediately after receipt of Rai's letter, the practice was stopped. Poor students are deprived of meals because of the 'hate politics' of the district in-charge minister.
"The government which boasts of schemes like 'Anna Bhagya' and 'Hasivu Mukta Karnataka', has deceived the poor children," he alleged.