‘Poojary’s Remarks about My Dad in his Autobiography are All Lies and Crap’-Madhu Bangarappa
“Senior Congress Leader Janardhan Poojary’s remarks about my dad (Former Chief Minister late S. Bangarappa) that my dad tried to hit and behave rude with Late Indira Gandhi, and that my dad was a corrupt chief minister in his recently released autobiography “Salamelada Sangrama” is all lies and full of crap”- Madhu Bangarappa ( Former Chief Minister late S. Bangarappa’s Son)
Mangaluru: Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at Hotel Deepa Comforts-Mangaluru on Friday, 9 February, Former Chief Minister late S. Bangarappa’s Son, Madhu Bangarappa, JD(S) MLA said, “I strongly condemn the remarks in Congress leader B. Janaradhana Poojary’s autobiography, “Salamelada Sangrama”, against my father, former Chief Minister late S. Bangarappa which are false, misleading, and nothing but crap. Poojary has tried to defame many politicians including JD(S) national president H.D. Deve Gowda and former Union Minister Veerappa Moily in the book. Either Mr. Poojary has lost his mental balance or he has deliberately defamed these leaders to enhance the sales of the book,”.
“Poojary’s reference in the book to an incident in which my father behaved rudely with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and tried to hit her is all lies and it was a figment of Mr. Poojary’s imagination. My father had always enjoyed a harmonious relationship with the Nehru-Gandhi family, and he wouldn’t do anything like that towards Indira Gandhi. Poojary has spent days at our house, he has even dined with my dad and all of us. For him to say such bad remarks in his book is intolerable and I strongly condemn it. I am not saying as a Son of Bangaraapa, but as his fan, follower and a strong supporter, because he was one of the greatest politician that India had produced” added Madhu.
“I also express displeasure against the remarks made by Poojary that my father had to relinquish Chief Minister’s post following charges of corruption. The book has resorted to contempt of court as well because after my father stepped down from the position, three cases were lodged against him by his fellow Congressmen, but the court had acquitted him in all the cases. But, why Poojary still has to call my father a corrupt politician, much in violation of the verdict of the court. I have a feeling that being frustrated with consecutive defeats in elections and his waning influence in the Congress, Janardhan Poojary might have been hurling false allegations against other political leaders, including my father. I want to questioned the contribution of Poojary to the Billava community. Many Billava youths have become pawns in the hands of communal forces in coastal Karnataka owing to the failure by Poojary to provide proper guidance to them. What is the answer to this from Poojary? Poojary should bring unity in his Billava community rather than criticize and degrade someone else” added Madhu Bangarappa.
“Whatever Poojary mentioned in his book was true, then there was no way that Rajiv Gandhi would have later on made my father the chief minister of Karnataka. This shows that the comments about my father and other leaders in his autobiography are nothing but lies which he has penned down out of frustrations that he has been facing due to controversies in Congress party and some remarks that have been passed on him by a present minister in the cabinet. At this age Poojary should relax and take it easy, rather than insult and degrade a person, and thereby lose his reputation by doing so. I am not filing a defamation case against Poojary, but if he a genuine Congress leader he should delete those statements on my Father, in the interest of the numerous fans of my father in the state and nation” urged Madhu Bangarappa.
Madhu further said, “I can openly say that Congress has never produced a clean and corrupt free politician like my Father. Also at the book release what was the need to have RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat? This shows Poojary still has love towards RSS in his blood, and I know it very well from his past acquaintance with RSS. Poojary can fool a few people, but not all people. Even though JD(S) is not so strong at present, but we will fight hard in the forthcoming elections by trying to field as many candidates in the Udupi/Mangaluru regions and also in other places. And if we lose, we won’t be joining any other parties (like BJP/Congress etc), but would remain a strong opposition party in the assembly/state”
Mohammed Kunhi-president JD(S) DK district, and other JD(S) members including Ashwin Pereira from Moodbidri were present on the dais during the press meet.