Prabhakar Bhat refused Mid Day Meal to his School, Not me – Ramanath Rai

Prabhakar Bhat refused Mid Day Meal to his School, Not me – Minister Ramanath Rai

Mangaluru: “Instead of making students beg for him, let Prabhakar Bhat apply for Mid-day Meal for his school. The government will provide mid day meal to all the students at Sri Rama high school in Kalladka and Sri Devi school at Punacha. Prabhakar Bhat himself had refused mid day meal, and not Ramanath Rai, let he submit an application for Mid day meal, I will insist the government to start the mid day meal for these two schools”, said the district minister in-charge B Ramanath Rai in a press meet held at the DCC office Mallikatta here on August 14.

Addressing the mediapersons Ramanath Rai said, “The financial help provided by Kollur Mookambika Temple Udupi to Sri Rama and Sri Devi schools was withdrawn by the Muzrai department. According to the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1997 (Rules 2002) there is no provision to adopt any school by Temples. But when the BJP government was in power, Mookambika Temple was providing financial aid to these two schools. From many years financial aid was given to these two schools belonging to Prabhakar Bhat”.

Ramanath Rai further said, “Sri Rama School is getting financial support from the Bollywood actors, mining baron Janardhan Reddy and many wealthy people from this country. As a minister, I assure of providing the Mid Day meal to all the students who study in Sri Rama School in Kalladka and Sri Devi School in Punacha. These aided schools get all the benefits from the government such as mid day meal, School shoes for students, uniforms, Vidyasiri scheme etc. Why then has Prabhakar Bhat refused the mid day meals and is receiving financial help from the Temple? Why parents are sending their children to that school when there is a government school in Kalladka with all the facilities. The School owned by Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat is like a factory of Communalism.”

Ramanath Rai also said, “The opposition is giving political colour to this issue when the Muzrai department has stopped the grant. There should be an investigation of the funds received from Kollur Temple by these schools. The salary for the teachers of Sri Rama school Kalladka is given by the government and those who receive their salary from the government are now taking part in the protest.”

When asked about the statement of Poojary on stopping grant to Sri Rama School in Kalladka and Sri Devi School in Punacha, Rai said, “Poojary is not aware of the reality. The Muzrai department has stopped the financial aid for these schools. Poojary must have thought that the aid was from the government, whereas the financial aid to these schools was from the Kollur Mookambika Temple which is against the law.”

MLA J R Lobo, MLA Moideen Bava, District Congress President Harish Kumar, Suresh Ballal, Ibrahim Kodijal, Sashidhar Hegde and others were also present.