The ruling BJP on Sunday decided to stage a day-long dharna on September 6 near Ravindra Kalakshetra in Bangalore demanding President Pratibha Patil’s assent to the controversial cow slaughter ban bill.
Besides, party leaders at the district level will stage separate dharnas at all 224 Assembly constituencies from September 1 to 5. The decision to this effect was taken at the BJP State office-bearers’ meeting held at a private resort on the outskirts of Bangalore.
“The cow slaughter ban bill has been passed in both Houses of the Legislature. There was no reason for Governor H R Bhardwaj to send the bill to the President. We urge the President to give her assent before the party takes the extreme step of staging a dharna,” BJP General Secretary C T Ravi told reporters.
Criticising the Governor for his stand on the issue, Ravi said the Constitution has made a provision to ban cow slaughter. “Despite being an expert in law, the Governor has refused to give his consent and has instead forwarded it to the President. We wonder why,” he stated.
The party has also decided to counter the Congress on the Jammu and Kashmir issue. The party’s youth wing will take out a ‘Janajagruti yatra’ from Bidar and Kodagu in the second week of September protesting the Centre’s stand on the J&K issue.
The yatra from Bidar will culminate at Dharwad covering all districts in north Karnataka, while one from Kodagu will end at Mangalore covering south Karnataka. “The BJP will strongly oppose the Centre’s move to give separate status to Jammu and Kashmir. The Centre is indirectly strengthening the separatist movement in the troubled State,” Ravi said.
This apart, the party has also decided to organise ‘Vikasa yatra’ from October to educate people about the achievements of the Yeddyurappa Government and impediments it has been facing.
These dharnas and yatra, party sources said, will not only help counter the Opposition Congress, but go a long way in organising the party for the crucial taluk and zilla panchayat elections likely to be held in December.
The party supported the State Government’s decision to stop the issue of transport permits for iron ore and decided that it should mount pressure on the Centre to impose a ban on ore export, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Ayanur Manjunath said.
