Pics: Abhijith N Kolpe

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru Feb 23: Former minister Ramanath Rai and Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath indulged in a verbal fight during a programme, in which people and leaders opposing the central government’s move to merge Vijaya Bank with other banks, had participated irrespective of party affiliations at Town Hall on Saturday February 23, organised by Vijaya Bank Ulisi Horata Samithi.

Addressing the gathering former minister Ramanath Rai said, “Vijaya Bank belongs to this region and we need to save its name. Whenever there is problem, none of state representatives have approached central government to keep its demand. There is no use of protesting and organising public meet to gain political mileage. We need to take the delegation to the ministry and discuss about it as we need to save the name of Vijaya Bank,”

“I am ready to be part of delegation and it is my responsibility to gather all MLAs and MPs from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. You need to fix the date and we are ready to come along with you and have a discussion with the ministry regarding the bank merger issue,” said MLA Vedavyas Kamath in his speech.

"Before I arrived at this programme, I saw in a TV channel Ramanath Rai criticizing the central government during his speech. It is not necessary to blame central government and this is not the platform to criticize the central government and the central ministers. This programme is about saving the name of Vijaya Bank,” Kamath added.

Irked with this statement made by MLA Vedavyas Kamath, Ramanath Rai replied," It is the responsibility of local MLAs and MPs to take us with the delegation to central ministry to save Vijaya Bank. Instead they are expecting us to take them along with the delegation. You (BJP) are in power in central government and many MLAs belong to BJP and it is your responsibility to save Vijaya Bank,”

Rai also said, "Vedavyas Kamath questioned about the bank employees not raising voice during the road issue. But the bank employees question the presence of MPs during the bank merger. You (Vedavyas Kamath) mentioned about criticizing BJP during my speech. But as you arrived late, you do not know what I spoke. I did not speak politics during my speech in this programme.”

The war of words continued for some more time between these two leaders over the same issue.