Karnataka: Manju, Revanna lock horns over vet clinic relocation

Bengaluru: Hassan in-charge minister A. Manju has got the Janata Dal (S), which sees the district as its bastion, all riled up by his decision to shift a veterinary poly-clinic from Hassan town to his home constituency of Arakalgud.

Five JD(S) MLAs from the district have threatened to go on an indefinite strike in front of the Chief Minister's residence if the order to shift the veterinary poly clinic is not withdrawn.

Speaking to reporters here on Friday, JD(S) leader, H D Revanna said the minister should have got  a new poly-clinic for his constituency instead of shifting the one in Hassan to it. Recalling that Mr Manuju had to drop the idea of shifting a poly-clinic from Bidar to his constituency in the face of opposition from that district’s legislators, he regretted that he was now trying to do the same in Hassan. “The poly-clinic serves not only Hassan town but also two hoblis of Holenarasipura, where people depend on dairy farming. If the Chief Minister does not intervene to stop this all the five JD(S) MLAs from Hassan will protest before his residence,”  Mr Revanna warned.

The JD(S) leader and party deputy floor leader, Y.S.V. Datta also threatened to hold a protest before  the Chief Secretary's office if the government failed to provide drinking water to seven drought-hit Assembly segments of Hassan district. Pointing out that barring Sakaleshpur taluk, all  taluks in these assembly segments were reeling under drought, they said the government had not released funds either for cattle shelters or for providing drinking water to them. “If the Chief Secretary fails to convene a meeting by October 24 to sort out the water problem in these taluks,  JD(S) MLAs will  hold a day and night protest in front of his office,” Mr Revanna added.