Congress has given Priority to Billawas, Poojary and Sorake are our Leaders – Harish Kumar
Mangaluru: “So-called Billawa leader is giving press statements that the Congress has done injustice with the Billawa community and mentioned Vinay Kumar Sorake and Janardhan Poojary which is far from the truth. In reality, the BJP has not given any ticket to the Billawa candidate to contest the elections. The Congress party has given priority to Billawa candidates to contest the elections from 1977. Janardhan Poojary was the union minister and many Billawa leaders like N M Suvarna, Doomappa, Vasanth Salian, Dr Domodar Mulky, D D Kattemar, Gopal Poojary, Vinay Kumar Sorake, Vasanth Bangera and K Harish Kumar have been given the chance to contest the elections. But the BJP has used the Billawas for their own benefit”, said the DCC president Harish Kumar in a press meet held at the DCC office Mallikatta here on April 30.
Addressing the mediapersons Harish Kumar said, “Janardhan Poojary is a former Union Minister. The one who is talking about injustice to the Billawa community has enjoyed all the benefits while he was with Janardhan Poojary in the Congress. But now since the person has joined the BJP, he is playing the Billawa politics. The Billawas are intellectuals and are aware of him. The so-called Billawa leader who joined the BJP is now showing concern towards Vinay Kumar Sorake and Janardhan Poojary has not moral rights to talk about them. They are Congress leaders, whatever differences we have it will be solved. When Rahul was in Mangaluru to release the manifesto, Poojary was present, he even attended the programme in Bantwal.”
Harish Kumar further said, “BJP is asking votes in the name of Hindutva and says that to protect the Hindus all should vote for the BJP. We are also Hindus and we are in the Congress party. There are Hindus in the Congress, JD(S) and other parties as well. Why then is the BJP asking votes in the name of Hindutva? Are we not Hindus? I don’t think if the BJP comes to power Hindus will be protected. According to the BJP, Hindus means BJP but for us, those who are born in a Hindu family are all Hindus. The National BJP leader Amit Shah speaks about the killing of Hindu activists. If they have a real concern of the Hindus why have they not given any ticket to the family members of the victims to contest the elections? They show so much concern towards Hindu activists who have been killed but they do not think about their family members while giving the ticket to contest the assembly elections?.
Harish Kumar also said, “The BJP leaders do not know how to talk, Ananth Kumar criticizes Rahul Gandhi and asks him to visit Shravanabelagola. Ananth Kumar Hegde says that When Rahul visits the Temple, Church or Mosque he is wearing different costumes. Rahul wears a saffron shawl while visiting the Temple, wears a cap while visiting the Mosque and wears a cross while visiting the Church. Ananth Kumar Hegde talks about changing the constitution, he criticizes thinkers, he does not follow the culture of this country.”
Neeraj Pal and others were also present.