Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB/SP)
Udupi, Nov 27: In reply to a question relating to a Hindu woman from Kerala, who was allegedly abandoned after her religious conversion and marriage to a Muslim man, Dakshina Kannada MP and state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, said that the party and its core committee have decided to act tough against Love Jihad. He said that the chief minister has also given his nod to initiate stringent measures against such tactics.
He was addressing a press meet organized at Hotel Country Inn at Manipal on Friday November 27. "We have taken the upcoming gram panchayat election with all seriousness. We have carefully chosen the Page Pramukhs and we have been working under the new concept of Pancharatna and Panchia Sutra," he explained.
About the graffiti eulogising terrorists and terrorism found on a road at Mangaluru on Friday morning, he said that in spite of who is involved, anti-national slogans, anti-national writings etc are crimes that are crushed with iron hands. He said there are laws to deal with them and the guilty will face strong action.
He also gave information about the creation of a call centre, holding of family get-together at each of the polling booths etc. He said that there is a need to infuse more strength into the gram panchayats. “In tune with the dream of Gandhiji, our villages should turn into 'Ram Rajya (welfare state)'. Gram panchayats are the places where workers turn into leaders. Therefore, the BJP has taken it as a challenge to win in maximum number of gram panchayats this time", he explained. He added that conventions are being held at 31 places all over the state in preparation for the gram panchayat election, and that six teams will undertake state tour. Each of these teams will tour five districts. First such convention will be held at Udupi, he said.
On the issue of ministry expansion, Nalin said the issue is left to the absolute discretion of the chief minister and that the national leaders together decide the matter. When his attention was drawn towards some leaders going to Delhi and meeting the national leaders, he said that they normally go to meet the concerned and bring central grants to their departments. He said that during such visits they might meet the party leaders for the sake of courtesy.
Deputy chief minister Dr Ashwath Narayan, MP Shobha Karandlaje, BJP state general secretary Mahesh Tenginakai, Mahila Morcha state president Geetha Vivekananda, S Muniswamy, MLAs Raghupati Bhat and Lalaji Mendon, Mangaluru division in-charge Uday Kumar Shetty, Coastal Development Authority chairman Mattaru Ratnakar Hegde, BJP district president Suresh Nayak Kuilady and others were present.
Nalin Kumat Kateel along with the deputy chief minister Dr Ashwath Naryan and others, paid a visit to Sri Krishna Math, paid obeisance to the Lord and met the Paryaya Swamiji, Sri Ishapriya Theertha Swamijii of Paryaya Admaru Math. The Swamiji blessed the visitors and presented them with blessed rice. Udupi MLA K Raghupati Bhat, office bearers of the party, Paryaya Math manager Govindaraju, public relations officer Shreesha Kadekar etc were present.