All Political Parties and Leaders Equally Responsible in Yettinahole Project – Rai

Mangaluru: All the political leaders and parties are equally responsible in carrying out Yettinahole river diversion Project said the district minister in-charge B Ramanath Rai in a press meet held at the Circuit house, here on March 19.

Addressing the mediapersons Ramanath Rai said, “To get political mileage the opposition is carrying out a negative campaign about Yettinahole project. BJP is saying that I am silent on the Yettinahole project but I ask the BJP leaders when the Yettinahole project was first started by the then chief minister Yeddyurappa why they did not raise their voice against it? When Sadananda Gowda implemented the project why the BJP did not oppose the project? What were the BJP ministers were doing when the project was implemented? Now why are they blaming the Chief minister? he questioned.

He also said, “One person cannot decide and stop the Yettinahole project. Political leaders from all the parties should unite and stop the project. Leaders from all the parties are equally responsible for the project. When there was a plan for the Netravati river diversion, I was the first one to hold protests and workshops. Rai is not taking any political mileage but the opposition is blaming me for the project. I am not an expert to brief on the pros and cons of the project but I am here to clarify about the allegations put on me by the opposition that I am silent regarding the Yettinahole project. I am not silent, whatever is necessary I have discussed with the leaders in the meetings. It is not right for the BJP to blame me for the project. Yettinahole project is a reality, there is no point in asking or discussing with anyone now. When the project was first implemented there was no opposition from the people nor the ministers from the opposition.”

When asked about spending Rs 13000 crore on the project and if the project fails, Rai said that all the political parties and the leaders are equally responsible. Late Dr V S Acharya had twice briefed on the Yettinahole project, why the BJP leaders then did not oppose the project. Now the BJP is fooling the people holding negative campaigns. One should not blame me or CM Siddaramaiah for this project”, he said.

MUDA chairman Ibrahim Kodijal, Mayor Harinath, Sashidhar Hegde, Mithun Rai and others were also present.