‘Police dept given free hand to take action in drug issue’

Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said, “The BJP government is committed to eradicate the drug mafia in the state and the Police department is given a free hand to take action against the guilty, whoever it may be.”

Speaking to reporters, after inspecting a drinking water project at Netkal village, Malavalli taluk, Mandya district, on Friday, he said, “The previous government failed to control the drug mafia in the state. But, the BJP government has given total power to the authorities concerned to take action, irrespective of whether they are from film industry, politics or other field.”

To a query on the meeting between Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, Ashwath Narayan said, “There is no need to attach political importance to it, as it was to discuss development works.”

Commenting on Jagadish Shettar’s visit to Delhi, he said that Shettar has not gone to discuss about the change in leadership, but to meet Union Ministers related to development works.

He inspected drinking water works, taken up at a cost of Rs 540 crore to supply water to Ramanagar, Channapatna and Magadi taluks and directed the officials to complete the work at the earliest. The pipelines would be laid to provide drinking water to villages en route. Halagur in Malavalli taluk too would get Cauvery water, he said.

However, BJP leaders opposed the project and explained that the project is of no use to the people of the taluk. They asked the government to chalk out plans to supply drinking water to the people of Malavalli taluk.

Ashwath Narayan assured that measures would be taken to supply drinking water to all. Magadi MLA A Manjunath, Ramanagar Deputy Commissioner Archana, Assistant Commissioner Suraj and Tahsildar K Chandramouli accompanied him.