Udupi: Govt has failed to curb crimes against women, time for change, says Shobha

Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (UM)

Udupi, Mar 14: Former minister and now BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency Shobha Karandlaje on Friday March 14 said that the UPA government at the centre had failed completely in providing good administration and stressed that change was necessary.

Addressing a press meet at the BJP office here, Karandlaje said that the government had failed to enhance coastal security and even fishermen and areca farmers were made to suffer. "Tribals are being evicted from forest lands and there is no appropriate law in place to stop their eviction or rehabilitate them," she added.

"The government has failed to curb crimes against women, and there is no sufficient law in place to deter or punish perpetrators of such crimes. Even though a few steps were taken in this regard, the government could not enforce a proper law to ensure that culprits are punished without delay. If BJP wins, we will set up fast track courts and make sure that crimes against women are dealt with strictly and severe punishment is meted out to culprits, such that men will not harass women anymore," she said.

"BJP has given opportunities to women in politics. I have done my best to fulfil each responsibility that I was given under the BJP government. Be it as minister for energy, minister for rural development or for women and child welfare, I was able to serve in these capacities for a certain period and worked to the satisfaction of people. In future too, I will do my best to fulfil the responsibilties that I am given," she added.

"There are more number of women in this constituency (Udupi-Chikmagalur). This is a very important constituency. When Indira Gandhi was facing problems, she contested from here and won. At that time, it was her personal trouble, but now the entire country is in trouble.

"There has been infiltration across our borders, there is no security even for leaders, or protection for our dams, factories or power plants. Development has crippled under the Congress rule. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has not done anything to boost development, instead under his reign corruption has increased. Coal and fuel are given to private companies at throwaway prices which resulted in huge losses. Corruption is everywhere, whether in allocation of 2G spectrum, in Commonwealth Games or other scams," Karandlaje said.

On why she decided to contest the Lok Sabha election, she said, "B S Yeddyurappa (former CM) and I did not think of contesting the elections earlier, but when Narendra Modi was chosen as the PM candidate by the BJP, our expections rose considering the development work he has done, and hence we decided to contest to make Modi win."

Lambasting the Congress state government she alleged that several schemes like Bhagyalaksmi and others initiated by Yeddyurapp during his reign as CM were being steadily stopped by the present government. "Development in the state has come to a standstill under the Congress rule," she added.

When reporters asked why the BJP had decided to give her the ticket from Udupi-Chikmagalur when there were other aspirants too, she said, "I had asked for ticket from Bangalore North. Sadananda Gowda and R Ashok were the top contenders there and I was the third contender, but I did not mean to get ahead of them. It is natural to have many aspirants for tickets, and I was just one of them. The senior leaders of the party considered my performance as a minister earlier and gave me this ticket."

Lashing out at her opponent from Congress Jayaprakash Hegde, she said, "The MP of this constituency did not show any concern towards the welfare of fishermen and areca growers in the last two years. The administration under Congress has completely failed. They could not solve the problems of people here. If BJP comes to power we will try to resolve the issues bothering the people here."

On whether Dhananjay Kumar would re-enter the BJP, she said, "BJP is trying to bring him back into the party's fold. He is former member and was MP four times and central minister too. Talks are on to re-induct him in the BJP."

BJP district president Tingale Vikramarjuna Hegde, former MLA Raghupati Bhat, Lalaji R Mendon, Udaykumar Shetty and others were present.