Udupi: I have Nothing to Do with Rave Party - MLA Raghupati Bhat
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Feb 11: “I have nothing to do with the folk music festival organized at St Mary’s Island recently. Congress party, with the ill intention of spoiling my reputation, has been linking me with the rave party controversy there,” said local MLA, Raghupati Bhat.
He was addressing a press conference here on Friday February 10. He came up with the following clarification relating to the controversy.
“I am not against the protest organized by Congressmen. However, they have tried to sully my name without any reason or basis. I had just attended the inaugural function of the programme as a guest, and Congress leader, Pramod Madhwaraj, too was an invitee there. When I went there with some journalists, the scribes brought to my attention about some wrongs. Myself and district deputy commissioner acted upon immediately to set right these things,” he said.
Attacking Pramod Madhwaraj for falsely alleging that he had received money from the programme organizers, Bhat pointed out that Pramod Madhwaraj, who accepted the presidentship of anti-UPCL agitation, had suddenly distanced himself from this movement. He questioned the motive behind this volte face, duly charging Madhwaraj with receiving benefits from UPCL in exchange for his silence.
Bhat agreed that the head of the organization which was behind the show was his classmate. At the same time, he also mentioned that the person concerned was also the classmate of Pramod Madhwaraj. “At the preliminary meeting held before the programme, the organizers had been informed of necessity to adhere with certain conditions. If these conditions have been violated, action will be taken after going through the video clips recorded by eight closed circuit television cameras installed in the island,” he added.
Bhat claimed that the total time he spent at the programme was ten minutes, during which he found that many people were engaged in cleaning the beach, performing Yogasanas, Soora Namaskar, etc. He concurred that there is a possibility that a few among the youngsters would have indulged in obscene activities. “I have organized various successful programmes like Udupi Utsav, Akhil Bharat Kannada Sahitya Sammelan, Srinivasa Kalyanotsava, Beach Utsav etc. I have genuine concern for the development of St Mary’s Island, and in the coming days, I propose to organize a programme depicting purely Indian culture,” he said.
“The organizers had good intention in organizing the above programme, and it proved to be an experiment. If our culture was offended there, such programmes will not be henceforth permitted. On the first day of the programme itself, me and deputy commissioner together decided not to give scope for more such programmes, after observing certain things on the first day. I have never received any money from the organizers as alleged, and instead, I have spent from my own pocket for providing food to the folk dance troupes. The deputy commissioner has already asked the programme organizers to furnish accounts relating to the programme,” he added.