Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (EP)
Udupi, Mar 3: KPCC chief secretary G V Bava on Thursday March 1, slammed BJP for their comments on the Constitution and said that Kundapur should choose a representative from Congress in the upcoming elections.
Bava was speaking at ‘Grama Vastavya' (village stay) programme held by Udupi district Rajiv Gandhi panchayat raj organization at Panadakatte Koraga colony, with a Koraga family. Inaugurating the programme, he said, “Dr B R Ambedkar has given a prestigious Constitution to the country, but union minister Anant Kumar Hegde is trying to change it just because Ambedkar was a dalit. He opposes reservation and rights to Dalits, hence gives statements in that regard. Ironically, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not condemn it. On one hand he says that he will make the dream of Gandhi a reality, and on the other hand consents to the construction of temple for Godse who had killed Mahatma Gandhi. We should make use of the rights provided by Dr Ambedkar. There is no Congress MLA in Kundapur for the last twenty years. We should elect a Congress MLA this time.”
INTUC state president Rakesh Mally said that the problems of Koragas have come to his notice and those will be made known to the concerned. “Sincere attempts to solve the problems of Koragas will be made,” he said.
District Rajiv Gandhi panchayat raj organization state convener B N Sandesh, gram panchayat member Shashikala, Congress election publicity campaign committee president Vikas Hegde, Dalit Sangharsha committee taluk secretary Raju Bettinamane and locals were present.
District Rajiv Gandhi panchayat raj organization district organizer Roshni Olivera welcomed and delivered the keynote address.
Members of Koraga community expressed their problems in the interaction that followed. Koraga community youth Sunil said that there is lack of unity in the community. “There is a need of a platform to show our unity to explain our problems,” he said.
Bhandarkar's College student Rajeshwari said that free laptops are provided to students of government colleges. “Those in private colleges do not have such facility. Laptops should be provided without discriminating between government and private colleges,” she said.
Veena from Shankernarayana said that land related problems of 18 families are still not solved. “The tahsildar does not respond to our problems when we visit the taluk office,” she said.
Radha Hombadi said that there is a ten-acre land in Japti village. “The land is not being given to Koraga families even though there are no problems in the land. Politicians promise to help during elections and those remain only as promises,” she said.
Ammanni Kandavara said they intend to construct a temple where they are living for the last 200 years. “Our dream has still not turned into reality,” she said.
Naveen said that Koraga youth rarely unite. “They unite during cricket tournaments, but not during social programmes,” he said.
Taluk panchayat member Sunita Shetty conducted the interaction programme.