Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP on Monday held a preparatory meeting in Bengaluru to chalk out plans to conduct the August 3 padyatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru.
BJP state President BY Vijayendra said that the padyatra (foot march) of the Opposition party from Bengaluru to CM Siddaramaiah’s native place Mysuru cannot be derailed through intimidation.
Vijayendra’s comment came hours after Karnataka Home Minister, G Parameshwara stated that while the government will not give permission for the BJP’s padyatra, it won’t stop it either and all safety arrangements would be made for it if the party decided to go ahead with the foot march.
During the preparatory meeting held in Bengaluru on Monday, Vijayendra warned CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar that their intimidation tactics would not scare away BJP workers.
He emphasised that their struggle for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes would continue as money meant for the marginalised had been looted and crores embezzled. He stated that if they do not fight against these issues, God will not forgive them.
Vijayendra said, “Hundreds of crores from the Valmiki Corporation were transferred to accounts of non-existent companies, and this money, which belonged to the Scheduled Castes, was later misused in the Lok Sabha elections. The ED has also mentioned that purchases were made using this money. The BJP has been continuously fighting against the Valmiki Corporation scam and the MUDA scam.”
Vijayendra expressed confidence that the 14 plots received by CM Siddaramaiah’s family in MUDA will be returned and redistributed to the poor.
Vijayendra alleged, “Plots worth Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 crores have been allocated with a desire for more. The MUDA Chairman, who was appointed by CM Siddaramaiah himself, has admitted this. Even after the government’s order not to allocate plots, the MUDA Commissioner continued to distribute them arbitrarily.”
He mentioned that the BJP has pressured and sought opportunities for discussions in the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council.
“The Union Bank has written to the CBI stating that there was a misappropriation of Rs 187 crore in the Valmiki Corporation and requested a CBI investigation. The investigation is ongoing as per the law,” Vijayendra said.
Opposition Leader R Ashoka charged that Siddaramaiah’s relatives obtained 3.16 acres of land at a very low price and questioned if this was their way of showing popularity.
Legislative Council Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said that the misappropriation of funds in the Valmiki Corporation has led to injustice to the Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
Former Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda, State General Secretaries Sunil Kumar, Preetam Gowda, Kudachi Rajeev, Nandish Reddy, former Minister Bairati Basavaraj, MPs, MLAs, Legislative Council members, former MPs, former MLAs, former Legislative Council members, district presidents, and prominent party leaders were present at the event.
–IANS