Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, May 10: "BJP leaders have been falsely spreading the information that I had said that I do not need votes of Hindus to win the election. This misinformation campaign has mentally distressed me and hurt me a lot. The fact that BJP has stooped so low to gain political mileage is regrettable. I have never said that I do not need Hindu votes. I challenge BJP leaders for taking religious vow confirming the veracity of their claim in any of the holy places of worship including Polali, Kudroli and Dharmasthala temples in my presence," said Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister, B Ramanath Rai.

He was addressing a press conference convened at the party's campaign committee office at B C Road here on Wednesday May 9.

"I have lot of faith in the Daivas and gods. I invite BJP leaders to accept the challenge and test the truth through divine vow. What I said at the Beary Sahitya Academy awards ceremony is available in the Youtube of the social website of the social website of Bantwal Congress Committee. This video has been edited and modified to confuse people and mislead them," he stated.

Rai noted that BJP leaders have been demanding that money from temples should be utilized only for making improvements in temples. This automatically means that stoppage of grants from Kollur temple to Punacha and Kalladka schools towards midday meals for students was not wrong," he said.

Ramanath Rai said that he had got done stadium, private bus stand, underground drainage, mini Vidhan Soudha etc in this constituency and charged BJP leaders of not allowing construction of KSRTC bus stand at the proposed site. "The spot at Shantiangady which I had proposed for KSRTC bus stand has been converted into bus depot," he pointed out.

District Congress committee vice president, Baby Kunder, Panemangalore block Congress committee president, Abbas Ali, Bantwal block Congress president, Mayilappa Salian, and several other leaders were present.