Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Dec 16: "We have never seen any ruling government meddling with the gram panchayat (GP) elections. The BJP government has shown high handedness in the reservations for gram panchayat elections. Congress never interfered with reservation of gram panchayats during their rule. BJP had objected for amendment of Panchayat Act when Congress government was ruling. Villages have developed only due to the amendment that was made to Panchayat Act during the time of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi," said former minister Ramanath Rai on Wedneday December 16.

Rai further accused the state BJP government and said, "Poor people have not got houses since the past three years. During the rule of Congress, additional houses were distributed to the poorer sections of the society. Several schemes are stalled after BJP assumed power in the state. During the Congress regime, the BPL cards which were issued were not cancelled. However, BJP is cancelling them and also collecting fine from public.

"If you show the electricity bill to a person, it is enough for him to get a heart attack. The electricity charges have gone so high because of unscientific way of pricing per unit. The victims of natural disaster have not yet received compensation. The price of fuel is much higher than other countries of Asia. The government that is ruling the country is the worst one the country has ever seen,” he said.

Speaking on the issue of friction between Congress and BJP members in the state legislative council, Ramanath Rai said, "Is it correct if you close the doors to prevent the journalists from entering inside after calling a press conference? Similarly, is it right to close the doors of the legislative council hall and prevent the chairman from entering? What is the root cause for the friction? This should be discussed. Rather than asking whether it is right to pull the hand of the deputy chairman, the question that needs to be answered is whether it is right to have made the deputy chairman sit on the chair that was meant for chairman of the house. Earlier also, BJP had conducted the session behind closed doors. All the friction that has taken place is the just the reaction for the action of BJP MLCs. The issue could have been resolved without asking the deputy chairman to sit on the chair."