Byndoor MLA Gururaj Gantihole Calls Off Indefinite Strike Against District Administration
Kundapur: Byndoor MLA Gururaj Gantihole withdrew his indefinite strike against the district administration on August 13, after Udupi Deputy Commissioner K. Vidyakumari assured him that she would forward his concerns to the state government.
The strike was launched on August 12, in front of the Baindur Taluk Administration building, after Byndoor Town Panchayat officials failed to attend a meeting called by the MLA at Uppunda, citing oral directions from the DC not to attend meetings convened at premises other than the government offices.
Gantihole demanded to see the rule prohibiting meetings at places other than government offices and insisted that he had the right to convene meetings for the benefit of the people as an MLA. He threatened to continue holding such meetings across his constituency until the DC showed him the relevant rule book.
After meeting with the DC, Gantihole withdrew his protest and held a meeting with government officials at his Jana Soudha office in Uppunda. He claimed that there was no prohibition on holding meetings at private places and that he had been getting work done by officials regardless of their postings.
DC Vidyakumari clarified that she had not obstructed the rights of MLAs and that there was no provision to hold officials’ meetings in private places. She agreed to discuss the possibility of holding meetings in MLAs’ private offices at the government level and inform the MLA accordingly.
The protest was withdrawn after district officials assured Gantihole that they would forward his memorandum to the state government. Several BJP leaders, including MP Kota Srinivas Poojari, were present on the occasion.