State Flag an election gimmick

Mysuru: Blaming the Congress Government for communal flare up and violence in coastal region, former Minister and State BJP Vice-President V. Sreenivasa Prasad has observed that the flare up could have been avoided if the State Intelligence Wing was alert and took timely action.

Addressing his first press meet in city after the April 2017 Nanjangud by-polls, at Hotel President on B.N. Road this morning, Sreenivasa Prasad congratulated NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind for winning the Presidential polls.

Reiterating that the State Government should be squarely blamed for recent violence across Dakshina Kannada district, Prasad said that the CM’s arrogant stance on key issues had resulted in the deterioration of Law and Order situation.

Coming down heavily on the Home Minister’s Advisor Kempaiah’s style of functioning, Prasad said that the people had a ‘taste’ of Kempaiah’s style of functioning when he was serving in the Police Department and in this context it was not correct on the part of the Chief Minister to entrust the Home Minister’s responsibility to Kempaiah.

Strongly condemning the Parappana Agrahara jail row, in which massive corruption in the State jails came to the fore, the BJP leader took exception to the transfer of DIG Roopa for exposing corruption.

Alleging that there was no place for honest officers like C. Shikha, Rashmi Mahesh and D. Roopa, V. Sreenivasa Prasad claimed that there was a complete breakdown of Law and Order in the State, with increase in crimes against women, murders etc.

Referring to the State Flag, Prasad said the ‘Naada Dhwaja’ (State Flag) issue is an emotional one and the administrators need to handle the issue very carefully.

Maintaining that as per his knowledge, there was no provision under the Constitution for a State to have its own Flag, Prasad said that it was a political gimmick by CM Siddharamaiah with Assembly polls round the corner.

Referring to the suicide of T. Narasipur Tahsildar Shankaraiah, he said that sand and other mafias had gained control of T. Narasipur. Tahsildar Shankaraiah, who was an honest officer, may have ended his life unable to bear the harassment by the powers that be, he said and demanded a CID probe into the death of the Tahsildar.

District BJP President M. Shivanna, City President Dr. B.H. Manjunath, Hotelier M. Rajendra , former MLC C. Ramesh, leaders K.R. Mohan Kumar and C. Basavegowda were present at the press meet.