Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (JD)

Udupi, Feb 10: Udupi block Congress members on Saturday February 10 staged a strong protest against the central government alleging that it was following an 'anti-people' policy and also prepared 'pakoda' on the streets, in an apparent jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent comment in a television interview to a question on employment.

A huge protest march was held from Udupi Service Bus stand to Ajjarkad.

Addressing the protestors, Youth Congress district president Amrith Shenoy said, "Modi had asked the people to vote for him. He had assured to give LPG cylinders for low rate, petrol at Rs 35 and job opportunities to 2 crore youths, but none of the promises has been fulfilled. Let him close all the universities in the country and give training to our youths to set up pakoda stalls. Due to the present condition of our country no outsider is willing to invest in our country which in turn has decreased the job opportunities."

Amrith Shenoy also termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi an 'international liar’ and finance minister Arun Jaitley a 'pakoda specialist'.

The protestors also brought push-carts and some of them also came on camel and horseback to symbolically protest fuel price hike. "If the fuel price increases so drastically, there is no doubt that one day we may need to use these horses and camels as means of transportation," said Amrith Shenoy.

Protestors shouted slogans against MP Shobha Karandlaje and ex-MLA Ragupati Bhat and invited Shobha Karandlaje to eat pakodas prepared by them on the spot.

Addressing the protest, Janardhan Tonse said, "In future, all over the district protests will be held against the central government. Youths should oppose the Modi government and support Congress. In the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections people should not support BJP and instead teach them a good lesson."

Udupi block Congress president Sathish Amin Padukere said, "With Narendra Modi as the PM, India has risen to the top not in development but in beef export. The central government has been giving slow poison to the people by regulating the fuel prices day by day. During the time of the UPA government, LPG cylinder prices were increased only twice a year, but BJP government is increasing the fuel prices every day.”

Veronica Cornelio, Narasimha Murthy, Meenakshi Madhav Bannanje, Ganesh Nergi, Janardhan Bhandarkar and members of Udupi block Congress took part in protest.