Pic: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network-Mangalore (NM)
Mangalore, Nov 19: Chief minister Sadananda Gowda is trying to appease JD(S) supreme Deve Gowda and former CM Yeddyurappa by criticizing Lokayukta and the mining report by Santosh Hegde, MLA U T Khader, adding that people will teach them a lesson.
Addressing a press meet here on Saturday November 19, he said that former Lokayukta Santhosh Hegde in his earlier report had submitted all the issues ranging from the year 2001-2006. However, the state government expected the latest report from 2006-2010 to be in their favour but it turned out to be against them.
"BJP leaders demanding a strong Lokpal Bill at the centre and showing reluctance in accepting the Lokayukta report in the state shows their double standards," he said.
"Even unions like youth against corruption among others are silent on this stand of the state government. There seems to be a secret compromise between Sadananda Gowda and Deve Gowda," Khader said.
The MLA also criticized the CM for not taking any concrete steps to develop the infrastructure of his own district. "We expected a lot of progress in the district when Sadananda Gowda became the CM, but it’s not happening," he said, adding that Yeddyurappa was better than the present CM in terms of lending funds for developmental works for the district.
"Less amount of money is sanctioned for road repairs in the district. We need permanent roads and the sanctioned money is not enough even for the patch works. The promises made to compensate the families who lost their houses in the last monsoon season due to thunder and heavy rain have also not been fulfilled," he further added.
He lamented that the CM had not bothered to call a single meeting of the MLAs in the district. Such meetings help a lot in the decision-making process and executing development works in the district, he said.
When the centre did not sanction funds, it was good of Sadananda Gowda to release state funds for the Shiradi Ghat road project, he said, adding, "But why is there a delay in the works?"
T K Sudhir, Mohan Mendon, Mohamed Mustafa, Abdul Jabbar and Nazir Bajal among otheres were present at the press meet.