By Violet Pereira, Team Mangalorean 
 
Mangalore: Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee organized, " People's Awareness Meet " (Jana Jagrati Sabhe),  at the City Town Hall, here on July 7.

KPCC Secretary Ivan D'Souza welcomed the gathering. The meet was inaugurated by V Hon'ble leader of Opposition Karnataka Legislative Assembly Siddharamiah by lighting the traditional lamp along with other dignitaries on the dais. 

Siddharamiah speaking on the occasion said, "The BJP did not come into power with the total support of people,  but by total luck.  BJP also joined hands with other party members to gain majority and came into power. 

The people of Karnataka did not elect any party unanimously.  Getting 110 seats is not a big deal, if congress would have joined hands with other parties, Karnataka Congress would have come into power.  But the high command strictly ordered not to join hands with other parties because the JD(s) had once deceived the congress party.

He further said,  " When BJP came into power from the day one, they have been involved in corruption. Reddy brothers spent crores of rupees for campaigning. For Yeddyurappa corruption is legal, he doesn't know it is illegal. If any leader in BJP is found without corruption please name him" he challenged.

Through Operation Kamala, BJP leaders have distributed money to buy MLA's. Yeddyurappa tried to retain his Chief Minister chair but did not succeed.  His crimes have crossed over the limits. Yeddyurappa had given entire Bellary to Reddy brothers for mining. 

In Bellary the entire administration is controlled by Reddy brothers, he opined. Siddaramayya, shared his experience about meeting Yeddyurappa and said, "One day you and Reddy brothers will go to jail if you will not leave them".  Reddy brothers looted 1 lakh crore rupees through mining, if Yeddyurappa would have retained this money, our state would have completed all the pending projects.

Further he said, "The present Chief Minister, clarifies that he is not like Yeddyurappa, he will work for the development of the state".  Why Sadananda Gowda has still not appointed any lokayukta, if he is a fair person? he questioned.

Instead of appointing lokayukta they have appointed police officers to close all the files with B reports. Now as per the present situation, the State Government has a loan over Rs 1 lakh 20 thousand crores.  The State Government income is Rs 51,000 crores and the central government is providing Rs 26,500 crores.

In the history of Karnataka state no chief minister has gone to jail. Yeddyurappa is the first chief minister who went to jail, when he was being taken to the jail he was flashing the "V" sign with his fingers and repeating the same while he was coming out from jail.  For him going to jail is a victory and coming out is also victory.

More than 30 lakh Below Poverty Level ( BPL) cards have been cancelled, people who were getting 25 kgs of rice per month get only 4 kgs per month. More than 12 lakh Social Security pensions have been stopped. This is a inhumane act and BJP leaders are inhumane.  Sixty percent of the people are living under poverty in India and BJP's slogan is " Development is our Vision ".  Where is the development ?, he questioned.

No one is above law, people want change in Karnataka, and congress is the party to join hands to bring change in Karnataka.  He urged the congress party workers to go every house and bring awareness about the governance of BJP.  JD(s) is a opportunistic party, they wait for the opportunities without any ethics, he blamed.

V R Sudarshan, Member and Ex-Chairman, Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Newly appointed Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council S R Patil also spoke on the occasion.  Mayor Gulzar Banu, Janardhan Poojary, Abhaychandra Jain, Ramanath Rai, U T Khader, Mohan P, Vinay Kumar Sorake, Ashwin Shetty, Moideen Bava, Mithun Rai and other Congress leaders were also present on the dais.