BSY visits to Dalits a gimmick: JD(S)

Belagavi: Members of the Janata Dal (Secular) took out a procession here on Saturday condemning the visits of state BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa to the houses of Dalits and having food there. They termed the visits as a gimmick aimed at wooing Dalit voters in favour of the BJP.

The members led by Dr T.A. Sharavan submitted a memorandum, addressed to Governor Vajubhai Vala, to the Deputy Commissioner against the visits of Mr Yeddyurappa to the houses of Dalits.

The members alleged that Mr Yeddyurapa did nothing for the welfare of Dalits when he was Chief Minister.

They said if Mr Yeddyurappa had any concern for the welfare of Dalits, he should strive for their growth in the fields of education, politics, etc. Dalits’ socio-economic status would not improve if Mr Yeddyurappa merely visited their houses and had food with them, they said.

The JD(S) members urged the Union and state governments to take the drought in the state seriously and provide relief to the affected people.

They said the farmers, who had suffered crop losses, should be paid adequate compensation. They demanded that the state government take steps to waive loans taken by farmers in the wake of the drought.

JD(S) Belagavi district unit president Shankar Madalgi alleged that Mr Yeddyurappa was behind filing of a case by Income Tax department officials against state JD(S) president H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Mr Madalgi urged the Governor to initiate action against Mr Yeddyurappa if he continued to tarnish the image of Mr Kumaraswamy.   The JD(S) members said that nobody could stop their party from emerging victorious in the next assembly elections.