'Govt has answers to reservations over Yettinahole'

Former chief minister Veerappa Moily said that State government had answers to the reservations, expressed by certain section of the society, over the feasibility of Yettinahole project.

Speaking to media persons, Moily said that the government had received a confidential report on the feasibility of the project by a premier institute of science, which has backed the project. The report, which focuses on all the concerns’ raised, guarantees that the project will be successful in the long run, he added.

Declining to comment further, the Congress leader added that the Indian Institute of Science had stated that scientists like Ramachandran was not an authority to give a report on the project. The chief minister will come out with appropriate reply in the due time, he said.

Shielding the government for its decision to celebrate Tipu Jayanti, the Congress leader added that Tipu was the first person who ferociously fought against the British. Irrespective of his historical background, Tipu stands as an outstanding ruler. There are also misconceptions that glorify Tipu as a destructor of religious shrines. He stood as a symbol of solidarity which made the British administration to dissolve all the small confederations in the aftermath of Tipu’s death.

Ridiculing the Modi-led BJP government over the new methodology adopted for GDP, the Parliamentarian said that the economists themselves had qualms over the newly adopted methodology. He said the turnover and export to China, Japan and Pakistan had come down significantly, while the import from China had increased in the aftermath of NDA coming to power at the Centre.

Stating that BJP’s intolerance towards litterateurs, artists and intellectuals will lead the party to its doom, the Congress leader added that the people would surely route out the BJP from the political scenario, if at the party continues its fanatic agenda.

‘Secularism in DNA’
Asserting that secularism is in the DNA of the Indian democracy, the former chief minister stated that the BJP had a good lesson to learn from Bihar poll result.

The exit polls were also politically motivated which would also lose the credibility in the days to come. The reservation policy enabling social justice is fundamental for the growth of the nation.

He said that the BJP would pay for snatching the right of expression, which is the right of every individual. The present political scenario has paved way for new wave of secularism in the country, he said.