Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (MS)

Bantwal, Aug 3: “It is not enough to say that one follows ‘raj dharma’ (duty of ruler) in his or her speech. Let the current MLA follow the same in his actions,” said former minister B Ramanath Rai slamming BJP MLA Rajesh Naik.

Speaking at the press conference on Tuesday August 3 that was held at Block Congress of the taluk, Rai verbally attacked MLA Rajesh Naik for his style of functioning. He further said, “The Covid bus travels under the gram panchayat limits, and gram panchayat presidents of BJP where they are ruling, are taking in-charge of the same. But is it right for the BJP workers to make in-charge of the bus in gram panchayats where non-BJP parties are ruling? What kind of raj dharma is followed in distribution of labour department kits in homes of private individuals rather than the gram panchayat office?

Ramanath Rai (left) and Rajesh Naik

“I have worked regardless of party, caste and religion when I was the representative of the taluk and followed raj dharma. If the current BJP MLA also followed the same, I would have accepted his statement.

“During the reign of the Congress government, attempts were made to provide maximum BPL cards. Still BJP said during that time that some people have not got BPL cards. But now the BJP is cancelling the BPL cards of poor people. They are also slapping fines. In the midst of this some BJP leaders are making a drama of pressurizing the government to provide BPL cards. So why were they cancelled in the first place? BJP is playing the drama of snatching things first from people and giving the same back.

“In the compensation that is being paid to land acquisition for highway construction also BJP leaders are doing the drama of fighting for the land losers. Let them make it clear which government they are fighting against.

“There are no accusations of scams against me. I have always followed clean politics. I do not have any stone or mud business. I am not doing any business in the mining department also.

“The current MLA is supporting the sand mafia and helping them to transport the sand illegally. He has the police under his control in this respect also. More transfers have taken place in the two year term of the current MLA than which took place during my tenure of 10 years.

“The current MLA lacks experience. Providing compensation and justice to victims is the responsibility of the state government. I have never limited any of my statements to just assurances. I have always held press conferences with suitable documents. Covid vaccination is also used for political gain by BJP,” he said.

Bantwal Block Congress president Baby Kunder, Panemangalore Block Congress president Sudeep Shetty, Women Congress president Laveena Wilma Moras, town municipality member Janardhan Chendimar, former zilla panchayat member Chandraprakash Shetty, Padmashekhar Jain, eminent persons like Mallika Shetty, Dhanalaxmi Bangera, Mayilappa Salian and others were present.