Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Jun 30: Managing director of Rathna Borewells Rajesh Rao on Saturday June 30 denied the allegations by Harikrishna Bantwal against district in-charge minister Ramanath Rai that the latter had abused senior Congress leader B Janardhan Poojary with vulgar words during his wedding party on February 6 this year.
In a recent press meet, ex-Congressman Harikrishna Bantwal had demanded Ramanath Rai for allegedly insulting two Youth Congress leaders Arun Coelho and Tejaswini Raj and Janardhan Poojary at Rajesh Rao's wedding, claiming that Rai had abused Poojary on several other occasions too.
Dismissing the allegations, Rajesh Rao said in a press meet here, "Harikrishna Bantwal conveyed false information about my wedding party. My wedding was held on February 9, not on February 6 as mentioned by Harikrishna Bantwal. His allegation is baseless and the statement about the incident is wrong. I do not belong to any political party but I have close friendship with Congress MP Oscar Fernandes, still I was unnecessarily dragged into this controversy. I had invited a few politicians but due to the budget session in Bengaluru, only some could attend my wedding. I could not invite Harikrishna Bantwal to my wedding.
"No such incident occurred during my wedding and it was not brought to my notice that Ramanath Rai had abused Janardhan Poojary in vulgar language. Ramanath Rai has lot of respect towards Janardhan Poojary and I don't think Rai will ever abuse Poojary," he asserted.
"I am totally unaware about the intention behind this allegation. Before passing any statement Harikrishna Bantwal could have clarified with me about the incident. If Arun Coelho and Tejaswini Raj were present during the incident then they could have attended the press conference with him. Why did they need to inform about the incident through Harikrishna Bantwal?" he questioned.