‘Coalition govt cause for separatist voice in state’

Opposition leader in the Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary alleged that the JD(S) and Congress coalition government should be held responsible for the separatist voice heard from different parts of the state.

Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, Poojary said that the partial approach followed by the state government has instigated the issue, which has currently transformed into an agitation demanding a separate state.

He said that the government’s attitude supporting few areas and also the financial backing for favoured areas will have their own impact. “The people are fed up with the situation and the biased nature of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government. The chief minister should stop making irresponsible remarks and should behave responsibly. There is no attempt made to set right the problems and the issue seems to be getting complicated every passing day. The Congress and the chief minister should be held responsible for all the irregularities,” he demanded. He said the chief minister should visit the coastal areas and address the problems haunting the coast.

Poojary urged the state government not to delay the list of reservations and immediately take measures to announce the election to the urban local bodies (ULB)s. He alleged that the government is intentionally delaying the polls to ULBs.

Emphasising the irregularities of the clean drinking water project in the state, he added that the Central government finances the amount and nearly 50% of the funds are misused. “There are 18,000 clean drinking water units, of which 9000 have become defunct. The funds invested are misused and in some cases, the unit of cost is 3.5 lakh while a few others is 14.5 lakh,” he alleged.

Poojary demanded immediate clarification and insisted that a Cabinet committee be formed to look into the irregularities.

He urged the government to appoint a district in-charge minister for Udupi immediately. “The in-fight between the two parties has resulted in a delay in announcing the district in-charge ministers. As a result, the development works are affected. At least by August 15, the government should appoint a district in-charge minister to each district in the state,” he demanded.

Raising concern over the increasing number of cases of cattle theft, Poojary said that the government should initiate measures to check such incidents.

Maintaining that the health card scheme introduced by the state government is a huge blunder, the MLC said that the scheme is nothing but a baseless shrewdness of the government to kill poor patients.

“The state government is becoming orthodox. If at all the MLAs want to join BJP, the party would wholeheartedly welcome such developments,” he added.