From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Mar 21: The rejection of the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill 2024, commonly known as the ‘’Temple Bill,’’ by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot is not a setback, claimed Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday.
Speaking to media persons near his residence, he said the bill was aimed at helping in the development of small temples and priests by utilising the funds of the bigger temples with more income to the smaller temples as all the temples coming under the Muzrai Department are covered in the bill.
‘’The BJP which brags about its Hindutva agenda has exhibited its true colours by opposing the 'Temple Bill' in a bid to claim that the funds from the Hindu temples were being diverted. BJP may have defeated the bill in the Legislative Council compelling us to move an ordinance. But we will get a majority in the Upper House in June and take further action,’’ he said.
Firm on Mekedatu
Answering questions on I.N.D.I.A ally DMK’s election manifesto opposing Mekedatu project, he reiterated his resolve on pursuing the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project and claimed that he had opted for the Water Resources Department portfolio to get the project implemented.
‘’Let DMK do anything in their own state of Tamil Nadu. Let them wage their fight and we are firm on the project,’’ he said pointing out that the Cauvery Water Management Committee is aware of the situation and will certainly ensure justice to Karnataka," he said.
‘’Mekedatu project benefits not just people of Karnataka but also of Tamil Nadu. People from all states, including Tamil Nadu, are in Karnataka and our brothers are in Tamil Nadu. It will benefit all people,’’ Shivakumar said expressing the hope that ‘’a time will come when Tamil Nadu will speak in favour of Mekedatu.’’
Final list shortly
Shivakumar, who is also the KPCC president, said the final list of candidates from Karnataka is ready and will be released by Thursday evening.
He said the Congress central election committee is finalising the list of candidates from Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. ‘"I expect the list to be released by evening,’’ he said.
The KPCC chief said the Congress party has given preference to youth, women, educated and capable persons. ‘’This is the first occasion when such selections have happened in my 40 years of political experience,’’ he claimed.
Shivakumar said the young, women and educated candidates will win and grow to be big leaders in future, which is good for the party.
'DVS cleansing BJP is welcome'
Shivakumar said the statement of BJP’s senior leader and former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda promising to ‘’stay in BJP and cleanse it’’ as the party is ‘’controlled by just one family,’’ speaks of the latter’s experience.
‘’Experience brings maturity in people and it is good,’’ he said.
Sadananda Gowda, who is the current BJP MP from Bengaluru North, is miffed with the party leadership at denial of the party ticket and choosing Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje over him. He almost decided to join the Congress party but finally decided to stick with BJP.
He, however, is angry at senior BJP leader and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, a member of the BJP parliamentary board, as being behind the move to drop him in favour of Shobha Karandlaje.
Another senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa is also angry at Yediyurappa for denial of the party ticket to his son, K E Kantesh, from Haveri and has announced his decision to contest from his home district of Shivamogga against sitting MP B Y Raghavendra, the elder son of Yediyurappa.
Earlier in the day, Mrinal Hebbalkar, son of women and child welfare minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, called on Shivakumar to thank the KPCC chief for selecting him as the party candidate from Belagavi. Congress MLC Channaraj Hattiholi accompanied.
Another Congress candidate from Bidar, Sagar Khandre, son of minister Eshwar Khandre, along with another minster Rahim Khan, called on the deputy chief minister at his residence.