Silvester D’Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Apr 20: “Fishermen should be included in scheduled tribe category. The proposal about it sent to the center through the state government twice is rejected. Demands for diesel subsidy and others are not met. Eight fishermen are missing since last 150 days. There are no attempts to search them or provide information about what happened to them. The center is not responding to the needs of the families. Therefore, we had to get down to the field in Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency for the first time. Do not repeatedly test the patience of fishermen,” slammed Dr G Shankar taking BJP’s star campaigner, film star Tara to task.

A religious programme was called here due to Bagwadi car festival on April 19. Film star Tara and constituency MLA B M Sukumar Shetty had come there for campaigning. G Shankar got down from the dais respectfully welcoming them and placed before them the problems of fishermen that are not solved during the last ten years.

“Large numbers of fishermen are working for BJP at present. I had not supported any political party so far. But I had to get down to the field now for the welfare of fishermen. Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and Sukumar Shetty are close to me. But it is my duty to protect the welfare of fishermen. We have not got down in Byndoor. Inform our demands to Yeddyurappa. See what the fishermen will do in the elections if they do not receive assurances for their demands in two or three days,” he said to the MLA.