Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Aug 14: District in-charge minister Ramanath Rai on Monday August 14 defended the state government's action to withdraw aid to Kalladka and Punacha schools from Kollur temple and hit out at Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, who runs both the schools, saying that it was he who had 'hit the hungry stomachs of children'.
Addressing a press meet here, Rai said, "Both the institutions are aided and there is no provision under law for a temple to provide grants to educational institutions that are aided. The earlier government had violated the law and sanctioned the grants. Kollur temple administration is not giving food to the temple but it takes grants in the form of money. I have also heard that grants were given illegally to the institution. Prabhakar Bhat is taking the grants from the temple in the form of money just to misuse it. The government is providing midday meals, uniform, books and milk, but Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat has denied midday meals to the students of his schools. It is not me but Prabhakar Bhat himself who is hitting the hungry stomachs of the children.
"Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat himself has given in writing that he will not avail of midday meals to both the institutions. Bhat even collected donations from former BJP minister Janardhana Reddy and also some film actors. What about their studies? They are not worried about that, instead they inject communal thinking in the minds of the children. I promise all the parents of the children who took part in the protest that I will give food for the children through the government and make Bhat give in writing the requirement of Akshara Dasoha from the government. Chief minister Siddaramaiah never troubles the poor and he understand the pain of the poor," he said.
"Earlier we blocked many such grants from temples but no one raised objection. Bringing children to the streets to protest is a type of strategy to make money," he alleged, referring to the recent protest at Kalladka.
When asked if he had any proof that Kalladka Bhat was misusing the grants, Rai replied, "Then why did Prabhakar Bhat deny midday meals from the government to both the institutions?"
MLA J R Lobo, MLA Mohiuddin Bava, district Congress president Harish Kumar and others were present.
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