Mangaluru South Candidate Lobo Clarifies on KUDCEMP Project
Candidate for the forthcoming assembly elections, Mangaluru South J R Lobo clarified on the allegations levelled against him on a TV Channel. Here are some excerpts from the interview.
Q: Assembly Elections are nearing. How are the preparations going on?
A: From the past five years, I have been involved in the development work of my constituency. For me, elections means first solving the problems of the people of my constituency and have done that very well. But during the elections, some people come out and put baseless allegations on the candidates who have done their duty with integrity. I am not bothered of such baseless allegations.
Q: When will you begin the election campaign?
A: The campaign for the forthcoming assembly elections from the Mangaluru South Constituency have already begun 15 days ago.
Q: There are allegations levelled on you about KUDCEMP. What is your reaction on this?
A: When the elections near, it is common for the opposition to hire anyone and defame the good candidates. Those who have put the allegations on me do not have proper knowledge about what they speak. I left the KUDCEMP project 9 years ago and I was not connected to it. I was just reviewing this project. The project was implemented by the MCC and in 2003, five months before I joined as the director of KUDCEMP, the government had implemented the project and given it to the MCC. But now after a gap of 9 years, why are they blaming me? I had resigned in 2009 and the allegations that they speak of happened in 2011. Why are they holding me responsible? After almost three years of me retiring from the post and project, why are these people blaming me?
If I was involved in any scam, the government would have taken action against me. Those who are laying false allegations on me, let them produce the documents and prove their allegations. Using media to defame me during the elections is not good. If they have proof with them that I was involved in the scam, let them produce the documents. What they are doing is a cowardly act because from the past five years, I have done a lot of development work which they are not able to tolerate and so have indulged in defaming me instead.
Q: When you filed the nomination papers you have declared your assets to the Election officer, but the allegations state that you have misused KUDCEMP funds?
A: Again I am telling you, if I am corrupt, let them produce the documents and prove me wrong. If they do not have any evidence, I feel pity that such people still exist in our society.
Q: Why are there many candidates for the Mangaluru South Constituency?
A: It is their choice and wish to contest the elections. When there are many candidates, elections will be interesting.
Q: In the last elections some people tried to defame you, don’t you think that this time too attempts are on to defame you?
A: Yes, many have been trying to defame me but my intention is good and I know what I am. The officers who have worked with me know what kind of person I am. I had 400 engineers under me, let anyone point at me and say that I am corrupt.
Q: What do you say about the opposition?
A: Those who indulge in defaming me, I pray to the God to forgive them. They lack the knowledge and are purposely dragging me in the case which is not related to me.
