Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)
Mangalore, May 5: "C T Ravi, former Dakshina Kannada district incharge minister and present MLA of Chikmagalur has been unnecessarily blaming me and alleging that goondaism has increased in the district after I became the incharge minister. We know what was the condition of our district and of Chikmagalur when he was the incharge minister. We have nothing to learn from C T Ravi and Eshwarappa," said DK district incharge minister Ramanath Rai.
He was responding to C T Ravi's recent press meet in the city where he had alleged that Congress government was running a 'Ravana Rajya' in Dakshina Kannada and that Rai was akin to 'Ravana'. He had also said that crime had increased in the district ever since Rai became the DK incharge minister.
Addressing media persons at the district Congress office here on Monday May 5, Rai said, "Chikmagalur district was suffering from communal clashes and other atrocities during the tenure of C T Ravi and now he is blaming me. They (BJP) have been playing with the religious sentiments of the people and creating communal hatred and fights everywhere. They have also created communal disharmony.
"With regard to the various allegations leveled against me, they (BJP) must first produce proof for the same. I am a leader who has been minister for three terms and it is my duty to uphold social values. I also come from a well disciplined family and I have never supported or sheltered any criminal," he asserted.
"Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat had organized a Hindu harmony meet in BC Road and lambasted us for almost two hours, but when we organized a communal harmony meet in Kalladka, they were the reason for the clashes. Saffron organizations have been saying that Rai is anti-Hindu, while the others have been saying that Rai is for Hindutva - this again clearly states that I am totally secular.
"C T Ravi, Eshwarappa and others have no moral right to speak about me. I will them a fitting answer in the coming days. We have nothing to learn from C T Ravi or Eshwarappa. The people of Karnataka know what they are and what Rai is," he lashed out.
With regard to the toll gate issue at Brahmarakootlu, he said, "The police have not been late in investigating the incident; they have done their duty well. Legal action will be taken against the accused in the case, no matter who it may be. I have also received too many complaints from the public and also media persons that the toll collectors have been misbehaving with commuters. There is no need for Bajrang Dal or any Sangh Parivar to interfere in this case. What is their connection with this issue? There is no toll gate in the world where rifles and guns are used for toll collection. I have not exerted any pressure on the police in this matter."
Regarding the allegation against minister Abhaychandra Jain of threatening a reporter of a Kannada daily, he said he has no exact information on this case. "I will see examine the case in detail and get back to you," he said.
Interim president of disrict Congress Kodijal Ibrahim said, "We are always with the press and earlier also the Congress party had fought for the media people when they faced problems from the BJP government."
Mahabala Maarla, Kallige Tharanath Shetty, Santosh Shetty, Suresh Ballal, Shashidhar Hegde, Padmanabha Naringana, T K Sudhir, Kripa Alva, Nazeer Bajal, Rathikala, Appi Latha and others were present.