Sreeramulu Tonsures Head to Ward off Congress Spirits
From Our Special Correpondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bellary
Bellary, Jul 28: Even as the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee’s 'Bellary Chalo, Karnataka Bachao' yatra entered the fourth day on Wednesday July 28, the Bellary Reddy Brothers came out with a counter yatra with their close asociate and health and family welfare minister B Sriramulu tonsuring his head and wearing black clothes to ward off the Congress evil eyes and spirits.
The launch of Bellary mining lords’ new campaign to counter the Congress yatra with their own "Swabhikmani Bellary Yatra" was announced at Sriramulu’s residence in Bellary, flanked by tourism and infrastructure minister Gali Janardhana Reddy, revenue minister Gali Karunakara Reddy and their youngest brother Gali Somashekara Reddy, chairman of Karnataka Milk Federation, along wtih other ruling BJP MLAs from the district.
With the Reddy Brothers being in the eye of the storm and the target of opposition Congress attacks, Sriramulu took it upon himself to lambast the Congress yatra and announced that he would go barefoot on the Swabhimani Bellary Yatra all over the district to culminate with a massive rally at Tornangal, 20 kms away from Bellary, on August 7 ahead of the Congress rally planned at Bellary on August 9, the day of the Quit India Movement call.
Hundreds of party workers led by Sriramulu and the Reddy brothers held a barefoot march to town deity Durgamma temple from Sriramulu’s residence to mark the commencement of the yatra.
However, there were anxious and tense moments in Bellary prior to the announcement of the yatra plan as hundreds of the BJP workers had gathered outside the residence of Sriramulu following rumours of his resignation spread in the morning. They were anxious even as few news channels fuelled the speculation.
It only heightened their anxiety when a batch of MLAs and senior party leaders including Karunakara Reddy and Janardhana Reddy visited Sriramulu’s residence in the afternoon and held a prolonged closed-door meeting.
But, a few minutes before 4 pm, a tonsured Sriramulu emerged out of his residence to deny the rumours. He clarified that there was not even a iota of truth in the rumours.
"Bellary district has been witnessing overall developments ever since the BJP gained power in the State. In the past two years, the BJP Government has ushered in so many developmental works that the Congress could not do in 60 years since independence," he said.
He contended that the Congress leaders "are not able to stomach the growth of the area. They have indulged in false propaganda against the Government and them (Reddy brothers). The evil-sight of Congressmen has fallen on Bellary. To evade the evil-sight I have tonsured myself."
"I hope the ritual would do good to the people of the state,” he declared.
Sriramulu said: "We will tour and hold rallies at different places in the district exposing the hypocrisy of the Congress leaders. We will also explain the work done by us and that of Congress people."
"I will not wear footwear till July 20 when a rally is planned by the party in Bellary. I wear black dress as a mark of protest against the false propaganda of the Congress. I will sleep on the floor. I will not have normal food. I will consume only raw grains and water till then (August 20),” he declared.
Answering questions, he said the rally was planned only after taking party leadership into confidence. He did not wish to speak on the BJP leadership’s refusal to allow them to go ahead with their plans of organising a Bellary to Mysore yatra to counter the Congress yatra.
Later, addressing party workers Sriramulu declared: "We have accepted the challenge thrown by the Congress. We will not show our back. We will not allow the people of the district to be misled by the Congressmen. Disgusted by the long misrule and the atrocities of Congress, the people brought the BJP into power."
Denying that that they had been indulged in the illegal mining. Sriramulu asserted that they would not continue in power even for a minute if their opponents could able to show a small piece of proof.
Earlier in the day, Janardhana Reddy welcomed the ban imposed on iron ore export by the State Government. It was one of the major demand of the Congress. It was yet to be seen whether the Congressmen would halt their yatra.
On the possible fall-out of the decision, he said the livelihood of over one lakh families was depended on mining business. Certainly, all these issues had been taken into consideration while taking decision.
Janardhana Reddy, however, sarcastically reacted to KPCC president R Deshpande’s comment that only illegal mining be stopped and legal mining be allowed by saying: "At least now, Deshpande has admitted that the legal mining too exists."
Details of Swabhimani Bellary Yatra:
29-7-2010 : Rally at Chalkurki and Moka (under Bellary rural segment representated by Srirarmulu)
30-7-2010 : Takkalkote and Sirguppa
31-7-2010 : Kampli and Kurgod
1-8-2010 : Hospet and Kamalapur
3-8-2010 : Kudlagi and Hosalli
4-8-2010 : Hadagali and Halalu
6-8-2010 : Mariammanahalli and Kottur
7-8-2010 : Sandur and Toranagal