By Violet Pereira. Team Mangalorean

Mangalore :  The induction of J R Lobo and other 17 members  to congress party was held at the District congress office, here on July 28. 

Scuffle broke out just as the programme started between former Mayor Ashraf, and the congress party worker P V Mohan over the issue of using a microphone.. The meeting was disrupted for a while due to heated arguments between the supporters of some congress leaders. 

After the induction, addressing the party, J R Lobo said, "I have joined the party to serve the society.  It is the duty of every party member to join hands in strengthening the party. Our duty is to safe guard democracy. We need to be selfless and work for the betterment of the party.  Whoever believes in democracy will join the congress party.  From the beginning I was interested in joining the congress party.  But being a government servant I was not able to join any political party.  Now that  I have taken voluntary retirement from government service after serving for 3 decades, I am free to take up membership in the party "

When asked about his reaction to get into politics and be a simple party member, although after being in high position while serving as a government employee for a long time, JR Lobo replied saying, " I am not behind any big post or to get any MLA seat. I don't have any desire of getting MLA ticket or any other higher post in the party.  We need to understand the political parties and work accordingly without keeping a eye on big posts in the party.   We need to work for the party and strengthen it.   When I was working in various government positions, all political parties respected me well.  I have served as  Additional District Magistrate and Assistant to Deputy Commissioner of DK, Assistant Commissioner, Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Sirsi sub-division, Commissionerof Mangalore City Corporation, Deputy Project Director, Karnataka Urban Development and Coastal Environmental Management Project - KUDCEMP, and before taking voluntary retirement I worked as a Executive Director for Pilikula Nisarga Dhama, Mangalore.

" I liked the way the congress helped the poor people and their schemes.  When I was planning for voluntary retirement the congress party leaders asked me to join them and I accepted their invitation to serve the society through the congress party. While joining any party, do not think about any position, but set a goal to take the party to a greater heights"., Lobo concluded his remarks.

Ramanath Rai welcoming the 18 members including J R Lobo who joined the congress party, said, "Congress party is a secular party, having the members from all faiths.  There are number of political parties and they are very weak, but congress is the only strong party in the country.  Today J R Lobo along with M P Noronha, Amrith Kini, Prof Edmond Frank, Jnenedra and 13 others join the congress party.  Although there was a small clash over the microphone simple issue, where heated argument between the members took place, but we are all one now, minor scuffles must not come in the way for us to work for the betterment of the party " 

When asked about the clash before the induction of J R Lobo, Rai responded that the fight was about the issue over a microphone and there was a heated argument between youth.  He said getting MLA ticket for J R Lobo is in the hands of the high command, the party members should obey the high command and not to go against it.  There were two groups, one was shouting slogans against J R Lobo, and another against Ivan D'Souza.

Congress Youth President Mithun Rai, Praveen Alva,  former Mayor Sashidhar Hegde, former Mayor Ashraf, Arun Coelho, Mayor Gulzar Banu, Mahila Congress President Mamatha Gatti, KPCC Secretary Ivan D'Souza were also present.

  
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