Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Oct 3: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president R V Deshpande and working president D K Shivakumar came down heavily on the state Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa for accepting felicitation at the convention of the milk producers, at a time when heavy rains have taken away the lives of hundreds of citizens in the state, and inflicted losses to crops and other assets to the tune of crores of rupees. "This is a shameful act," they decried.

Speaking to reporters after the party leaders held hunger strike near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi here on Friday October 2, the leaders accused the government of having lost its sensitivities to the plight of the people. "The Chief Minister was expected to visit the places battered by heavy rains. He has said that a sum of Rs 100 crore is being released to the districts affected by the deluge. Where is the money? The state has failed to utilize Rs 280 crore assistance provided by the central government. The Congress Party has formed seven teams to keep track of the relief measures, and all the district committees have been asked to get involved with relief activities in full measure," they explained.

"The Chief Minister as well as his ministerial colleagues do not know how to run the state. Hence, they went to Suttur Mutt near Mysore, to get this training. In the meantime, law and order and governance have collapsed in the state," they claimed.

The leaders revealed that the party will take up its third phase of struggle against the government from October 12 onwards. In this programme, the party activists will hold demonstrations at all the taluk headquarters in the state. Thereafter, the party leaders will visit every village in the state, to create awareness among the people on the failures of the state government. At the same time, the leaders will also explain about the people-centric schemes of the central government. The party will continue to lead a strong people’s movement against the government till it is displaced, they announced.

As part of the plan, the party will be holding demonstrations at all the programmes in which the state ministers take part, Shivakumar said, adding that a proposal to undertake 'fast unto death' agitation against the utter failure of the state government is also under consideration.