Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SHS)
Mangalore, Apr 3: Minister for forest, environment and ecology and district incharge B Ramanth Rai on Thursday April 3 hit back at the BJP, particularly its Lok Sabha candidate Nalin Kumar Kateel and said that utilizing the MP fund cannot be considered as an achievement.
Addressing a press meet at the Congress election office on Thursday, he launched a counter-attack at the BJP for alleging that he sleeps in every Assembly session, and said, "I might have dozed off in the Assembly due to my hectic schedule, but never slept."
Raking up the blue film incident wherein three BJP ministers were caught watching porn in the Assembly in 2012, he quipped that he has not watched any obscene videos in the Assembly like his predecessors.
Referring to the CD of Nalin Kumar speaking in the parliament released by the BJP in response to his challenge, Rai said, "I do not believe in the authenticity of the CDs released by the BJP. News of Nalin Kumar speaking in the parliament never appeared in any print or electronic media."
When asked about Nalin securing 24th rank as a member of the parliament, he said, "Such ranks can be given to anyone. Apart from using the MP fund his achievement in the district was zero. Any MP across the nation can avail the fund but the time and way of spending it may differ."
On the disturbing incident that took place recently at Kodikere wherein Congress woman corporator Pratibha Kulai was allegedly harassed during campaigning, he said, "BJP has stooped too low and is poisoning the society by disrupting law and order. Pratibha Kulai is innocent. She was threatened by a group of criminals from Kodikere. We will take necessary action to catch hold of the culprits and put them behind the bars."
When press persons questioned that whether the Congress party was just giving assurances about arrests without actually taking action, he said law will take its due course and all steps would be taken on the part of the government to curb anti-social elements.
Ramanath Rai also said there would be slight change in the timing of the arrival of AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Mangalore on April 4. He would address the rally at 5 pm at Nehru Maidan and not at 4 pm as earlier announced.
MLA Mohiuddin Bava, who attended the press meet rubbished the allegations leveled against him by former minister Krishna Palemar of favouring his relatives in awarding a contract for road work. He clarified, "There is no conflict of interest in my relatives getting the contract. Sharif Constructions was established even before I became the MLA and the contract was given after completing all the procedures."