Deekshith D V
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jan 1: "There is unhappiness and resentment over the Kasturirangan committee report throughout the state. The state government has not given its assessment and opinion on this report to union government. In the state, 1512 villages are affected by this report. The people are fed up because of harassment at the hands of forest officials. If the forest is saved it is because of the people who live in forest areas. They have not inflicted any harm on the environment. Kasturirangan report should not be implemented," said former Karnataka chief minister, B S Yeddyurappa.
He was speaking to daijiworld.com during his private visit to the city here on Wednesday December 31.
He also said that the Kerala government has sent its opinion on Kasturirangan report to union government, and hence it got relief. "The Karnataka CM has not yet sent the government's detailed response. The state government has been neglecting this serious issue," he added.
He further said that bus fares went up by 12 percent when diesel and petrol prices were raised. "But the price has since come down, and therefore the state government should bring down the fare. If the state government fails to reduce the fare, we will launch state-wide stir," he warned.
He also revealed that the high Court had passed orders giving relief for those who are having less than five acres of land in forest areai n the sta from eviction. 'Because of government's negligence forest department officers are harasing the people by serving eviction notices. Even speaker Kagodu Thimappa has said this several times,' he pointed out.
Congress government withdrew the Anti Cow Slaughter Bill and tried to push through the law to take over Maths and temples by amending the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act. The chief minister should treat everyone equally without any discrimination, he said.
"Law and order and developments activities are completely failed. Officers are not conducting field visits, or consulting the representatives on the pertaining problems. In-charge ministers are not conducting tour to study the problem of their district," he said.
"Do as much development works as you can"
"In the new year, execute as much development works as possible, without pointing fingers at the centre for everything," was the suggestion extended by former Karnataka chief minister, B S Yeddyurappa.
He was addressing a press conference here on Wednesday December 31.
Yeddy claimed that the Narendra Modi-led central government had become hugely popular within days of its assuming power, whereas the people of the state prefer to remain mum over the performance of the state government. Claiming that neither the ministers nor bureaucracy have been obeying the words of the chief minister, he advised the chief minister to introspect on these aspects.
About implementation of Kasturirangan report on ecology of Western Ghats, he said the report need not be implemented if it harms interests of the people in general. 'This issue has already been discussed with the prime minister. Kerala government has already filed its opinions in the Supreme Court,whereas Karnataka is lagging behind,' he criticized.
Yeddyurappa said that even after the state high court asked the state government not to evict people having less than five acres of land inside the forests, the forest officials continue to ignore this order and issuing eviction notices to farmers settled in forest land. Noting that even assembly speaker, Kagodu Thimmappa, has been very critical of the state government on this issue, he asked Siddaramaiah to issue suitable instructions to officials at least now.
Yeddyurappa said that law and order situation in the state has worsened in the state, and even the assembly speaker had passed remarks about this issue. While agreeing that draft of the law on acquisition of Maths and temples had been prepared during his tenure,he pointed out thathe had not implemented the law.
The former chief minister stated that the state ministers have not been undertaking tour of the state, and the government not properly continuing the schemes implemented by the previous government. He criticized the government for withdrawing cow slaughter prohibition bill. He also came down on the government for not reducing bus fare even though cost of diesel has come down by 12 percent. He warned of agitation if the fare is not brought down.
Yeddyurappa also said that his party has placed for itself a target of 10 crore new memberships during this year, duly exuding confidence of enrolling one crore members in the state.