The Hindu : State-wide BJP agitation to target Krishna

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 30, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

State-wide BJP agitation to target Krishna

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE DEC. 29. The State-wide campaign launched by the BJP last month to create public awareness about the "failure" of the Karnataka Government on various fronts is being intensified, and a new demand for an inquiry into the "various misdeeds'' of the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, in the past three years, besides his resignation, is being included.

The president of the party's State unit, Basavaraj Patil Sedam, said here today that a meeting of the office-bearers of the unit had been convened here on January 3 to give shape to a new form of agitation, which might include "padayatra" and "jail bharo" programmes.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Sedam said the BJP's campaign in the form of rallies and dharnas in taluk and district headquarters, commenced last month to protest against the failure of the Government to order a CBI inquiry into the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket, the protection given to those behind large-scale irregularities in the seven municipal bodies around Bangalore, and other issues, culminated with the "Bangalore Chalo" programme three days ago. He claimed it was a "total success".

Mr. Sedam criticised the Chief Minister, who had, in the Legislative Assembly, described the BJP as `fascist.'

He said it was the Congress that was fascist, and this was evident in its conduct in Parliament in the past five years, where it repeatedly stalled proceedings.

He made it clear that there was no question of the party legislators, who were suspended from the two Houses till December 31, meeting the presiding officers if they were invited to talks to prevail upon them to attend the session.

They would do so only if the suspension orders were withdrawn unconditionally, he said.

The BJP had conveyed its views already to the presiding officers of the two Houses, and there was no further development in this connection.

If there was any invitation to talks by tomorrow, it would be discussed at the meeting of the legislature party.

Mr. Sedam pointed out that the special session, which was going on, was convened only to discuss the killing of the former Minister, H. Nagappa. He expressed surprise that the Government had announced a judicial inquiry into the matter even before the session had begun, though the demand by all sections was for a CBI inquiry.

Expressing regret over the light-hearted remarks by a ruling party member during the discussion on the Nagappa issue, he said that the only tribute that could be given to the late leader was to hand over the inquiry to the CBI.

`Clarify on Krishna water'

Mr. Sedam urged the Government to clarify whether it had released Krishna water to Solapur in Maharashtra.

He also wanted the Government to be cautious while considering the appeal from Andhra Pradesh to release Krishna water, to ensure that the latter did not try to establish a right in future.

He referred to the Centre's decision to release additional foodgrains to the State under the Food for Work programme, and said the deputy commissioners of districts should issue, in the interests of transparency, a daily bulletin announcing the drought relief work taken up and the quantity of foodgrains released.

This was necessary to prevent misuse of foodgrains in view of the Government's admission of misuse and the arrest of two engineers.

Mr. Sedam demanded an inquiry into the unnatural death of a party worker in Bethamangala yesterday. He said it was not a case of suicide.

The Secretary of the BJP legislature party, Ramachandra Gowda, Suresh Kumar, MLA, and the party general secretary, Limbavali, were present.

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