D’Souza Vs Poojary? ‘I’m Innocent and will Swear in front of Lord Manjunatha’- Ivan

D’Souza Vs Poojary? ‘I’m Innocent and will Swear in front of Lord Manjunatha’- Ivan

Mangaluru: Tit-for-Tat! In response to the hurtful comments made by senior Congress leader Janardhan Poojary during a press meet yesterday, where he had said, “Chief Whip of Karnataka State Congress Ivan D’Souza is trying to divide Catholics in the region. The congress will surely lose if the ticket is given to Ivan instead of MLA JR Lobo in the next Legislative Assembly election. Ivan was the one who stopped CM Siddaramaiah from visiting Kudroli Temple during his visit to Mangaluru a few months ago. Instead of visiting the temple, CM went to Ivan’s house. Ivan had played a game – do you think Jesus Christ will forgive him? How dare Ivan stopped CM from coming to the temple. If Siddaramaiah would have visited the temple instead of going to Ivan’s house Goddess Sharada would have blessed him”.

Addressing the media persons on this issue, Ivan D’souza said, ” Coming Wednesday I have decided to visit Dharmasthala Kshethra where I will swear in front of Lord Manjunatha that I haven’t stopped CM from visiting Kudroli temple. Even though I have not and will not criticize Janardhan Poojary, since I respect him as a senior congress leader, but he has constantly put me down using harsh words. CM visiting my home is not something new – Siddaramaiah has visited my house many times before he became the CM. So what’s wrong in it? I have never played any tricks in stopping the CM visiting the Kudroli Temple. I only came to know later through media that I have been accused of the wrongdoing in this matter. I also came to know later that CM didn’t even have an invite to visit the temple – so why Poojary is making a big issue and blaming me. I still respect him as a Senior congress leader, and in the same time he should also respect his juniors”.

Also speaking about tomorrow’s protest planned by BJP against the state government in front of DC’s office, Ivan said, ” The BJP urging the Congress-led state government to drop corrupt ministers from the Cabinet is senseless. They Small Scale Industries Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi to be dropped from the Cabinet in the wake of income tax raids on his house and offices and the Income Tax Department seizing a large amount of unaccounted cash and properties during the raid. BJP has accused that the government is mired in corruption. I want to tell BJP that income-tax raids are not something new, when the IT dept gets doubt they raid anyone. Comments made by BJP on this issue is baseless and having a protest on this matter is senseless”.

“They are also accusing us that a diary seized during the raid on an MLC, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has paid Rs 1,000 crore to Congress high command to retain his post. But the Congress is trying to divert the attention of the people by releasing a doctored CD on state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa and Union Minister Ananth Kumar. The Congress is using all tactics to defame the BJP. Let them produce us the complete CD and prove it that the facts are true. Just by making remarks during press meet will not serve the purpose”, added Ivan.

Ivan further said, “During the BJP meeting, as per MP Nalin Kumar Kateel stating that pre-poll promises made by the Congress have not been fulfilled, and that that the government has failed to take up new programmes for the welfare of the people, which I say is baseless. Kateel had also said that even the welfare programmes initiated by the previous BJP government have been stopped by the Congress, the Congress government is engaged in politics rather than development works, and the people of Karnataka have lost faith in the government, is far from being true. Let them prove it, before they comment. Tomorrow’s protest is only a political stunt, and BJP will not accomplish anything out of it, because we are confident that we have done nothing wrong. It’s just fake accusations on the Congress party by BJP. Period”.

Regarding the final approval of allowing to have Kambala will be announced soon, since the Governor has to approve it which could be done anytime during the forthcoming week or so. Also, the comments made by MP Kateel that the state government has failed to submit a report on the drought situation in Karnataka and that the Centre has released highest funds to Karnataka to tackle drought, is also false. Let them prove it, before they make any negative comments, urged Ivan D’Souza.