Minister for Agriculture and Minister in charge of Mandya district N. Cheluvarayaswamy came down heavily on the call for Mandya bandh given BJP-JD(S) on February 9.
“What is the reason for which they have called for a bandh? Is it for the sake of problems faced by the farmers, Cauvery issue, or for drought relief from the Centre?,” he questioned while speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Friday.
The Congress party would have also extended support if the bandh had been called for benefit of the people, he said before terming the bandh call as “shameful”.
Referring to the delay in the release of Central aid to tackle the drought situation in the State, Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said the earlier governments at the Centre would take no more than one or two months after receiving a memorandum for financial aid to tackle droughts. Even though four months had elapsed since the State government had submitted a memorandum for Central aid to fight drought in the State, the Centre had not responded to the issue, he lamented.
He pointed out that crops on several lakh hectares of land had been hit on account of the drought while 37 lakh farmers had been affected. The State government was giving ₹2,000 as financial aid to the farmers, but the Centre had not released the drought relief assistance.
Further, Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy asked the BJP-JD(S) combine if the bandh was for the removal of the national flag, which had replaced the saffron flag at Keragodu village. “The Constitution and the national flag is supreme,” he said.
Claiming that Congress leaders were also devoted to Hindu religion, Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy cautioned the BJP and JD(S) against misleading the youth and people of Mandya and warned them that they will have to face the consequences of disturbing peace and harmony in the district.
Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy also lashed out at former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy for his utterances against him.
Questioning Mr. Kumaraswamy’s contribution to the development of Mandya district, the Agriculture Minister said the JD(S) leader criticizes others to remain relevant in the media.
