Date:12/10/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/10/12/stories/2003101206490600.htm

Southern States - Karnataka

BJP launches `Janasangharsha', lambasts Govt.

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE OCT. 11. The 11-day "Janasangharsha" movement of the BJP State unit against the "anti-people policies" of the S.M. Krishna Government was launched at Nelamangala near here on Saturday.

Chalked out as a counter to the on-going "Janaspandana'' yatra of the Chief Minister, the BJP State unit president, H.N. Ananth Kumar, the Campaign Committee Chairman, B.S.Yediyurappa, and the Union Minister of State for Railways, Basavaraj Patil Yatnal, went in a procession in Nelamangala town condemning the "lack of response" from the Government to people's problems.

Addressing a meeting, Mr. Ananth Kumar condemned the "looting of public money through on-line lotteries and fake stamp papers'', and farmers' suicide.

He said the "Remove Congress and save Karnataka" movement would be taken to every village. Mr. Krishna had started Janaspandana to "cover up the misdeeds of his Government". "On the first day of Janaspandana, he was reprimanded, the second day, he went away to Sriperumbudur and on the third day, he will have to repent,'' Mr. Kumar said.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, D.H. Shankara Murthy, accused the State Government of discriminating against the Hindus. He said while a Hindu widow got Rs. 100 a month, a divorced Muslim woman was given Rs. 500. The Government was constructing shaadi mahals for Muslims, while the Hindus did not have such benefits.

K.S. Eswarappa, Chairman, Central Silk Board, criticised the State Government for its "failure'' in distributing yellow cards to the poor. He criticised the KPCC president, Janardan Poojary, for his "support to cow slaughter."

The former Union Minister, D.K. Taradevi Siddhartha, accused the members in the Krishna Ministry of having an understanding not to disturb one another in squandering public money. The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Jagadish Shettar, said the Chief Minister was accusing the Centre of not releasing enough foodgrains for drought relief. Mr. Yatnal echoed the same views.

Mr. Yediyurappa alleged that the Government was in the grip of liquor, stamp paper and on-line lottery lobbies and was working to the detriment of the people. Later speaking to presspersons, Mr. Kumar, Mr. Yediyurappa, and Mr. Shettar said instead of Janaspandana, Mr. Krishna should reply to C.K. Jaffer Sharief, MP, the Cooperation Minister, H. Vishwanath, and the Social Welfare Minister, A. Krishnappa, for their comments on the Government.