Mangaluru: “BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel’s march from Mangaluru to Yettinahole is only to fool people,” said Karnataka MLC Ivan D’Souza. He was speaking at a press meet held at the District Congress Office, Hampamkatta here, on October 13.
Ivan said that though Kateel is conducting the protest now, he still did not bring up the issue of Yettinahole in the Parliament. “When BJP was in power in the state, he did not speak against the project, the public was neither made aware of it nor asked for its opinion, and the project was approved. Now, he gives advertisements urging the people to take part in the protest, and calling out to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah to take part in it is only a drama for votes.”
He also said that to get publicity, he is inviting Congress leaders to take part in the protest. “Why did he not invite Prahlad Joshi, Jagadish Shettar, Shobha Karandlaje or Sadananda Gowda; instead, he himself has taken the initiative and is calling Congress leaders to take part in it. In the Parliament, Nalin did not raise his voice against the Yettinahole project. When the project was implemented, Palemar, Nalin Kumar and many BJP leaders were in power. Responding to the Padayatra, Sadananda Gowda has said that the people of DK will not face any problems from the project. Sadananda Gowda’s response indirectly advises MP Nalin Kumar Kateel not to fool the people by holding the padayatra. He has failed in his attempt since even though he was a parliamentarian, the project was implemented. He is trying to get political mileage by holding the padayatra.”
He further said that MP Nalin Kateel says that in the five years during his first tenure from 2009 to 2014 as MP, he brought Rs 1340 crore for the development of the district. “But what projects has he actually been responsible for? Any MP would have got the normally available funds for the district. Let him provide a list of projects or schemes that were possible due to the funds that he secured. He claims to be the number 1 MP of the state. Since he is our MP and represents our state, we will support him, but he needs to tell us, the people, of all the schemes that he has brought into effect. Whatever funds were brought from the centre to the district was when the Congress was in power. After Modi came to power, what has been Nalin’s contribution to the district and what are the schemes and projects that he has brought?” Addressing Kateel, he said, “It is your entire district and you are the captain. Take all of us to protest against the Yettinahole project. Instead of inviting Sonia, Rahul and Siddaramaiah, take Modi and the green tribunal authorities and protest against the project.”
“Only to gain votes in the forthcoming elections, MP Nalin is fooling the people. If the district will suffer because of the project, we will bring the pressure on our government. In the coming week, Ramanath Rai will bring up the issue about the Yettinahole project in Bengaluru,” he assured.
MLC you are also the same. You are even worse than katell, when it comes to all these things.