The Hindu : Karnataka News : Chief Minister hits out at attitude of some Congressmen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Chief Minister hits out at attitude of some Congressmen

Staff Correspondent

‘Government will not be cowed by threats’

‘Government committed to providing relief
to farmers’
MP highlights plight of arecanut growers

BANTWAL/MANGALORE: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday criticised the confrontationist attitude of some Congress MLAs towards development works being initiated by the coalition Government in the State.

Making public contents of a letter warning him of consequences if the Government went ahead in implementing works, the Chief Minister said the Government would not be cowed down by such threats.

Inaugurating development works and laying foundation stones for some others in Bantwal and the taluk, the Chief Minister, without naming the Congress MLA who held out threat to him, urged all “senior” Congress leaders to introspect on the progress their constituencies had achieved over the years. Later, addressing a gathering after kick-starting various development works, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the Government was committed to providing relief to farmers who were facing one crisis after another.

Stating that he was not satisfied with the relief package of loan and interest waiver announced to farmers, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the Government would resort to course correction in this regard shortly.

Referring to a plea by D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Mangalore MP, about the plight faced by arecanut growers, whose plantations had been badly hit by disease, the Chief Minister said he would convene a meeting of officials and elected representatives from all areca and coffee growing areas in Bangalore in the next 8 to 10 days.

Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who inaugurated these functions, said the State was poised to see revolutionary changes in development over the next 21 months.

Stating that development that had taken place since Independence was not up to the expected level, Mr. Yediyurappa claimed that the coalition Government had managed to usher in several development schemes and bolstered revenue collection.

Stating that areca was the main commercial crop of coastal and Malnad regions, Mr. Gowda warned that the local economy would collapse if the Government did not take corrective steps and come up with a suitable relief package for them.

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