Media Release

Udupi, Jul 16: The Congress party, under the leadership of Udupi Block Congress Committee President Ramesh Kanchan, organised ‘Satyadarshana’ protests on July 16 in front of the Kadekar, Ambalpady, Badanidiyoor, and Thenkanidiyoor Gram Panchayats to counter the BJP’s alleged false propaganda against the state government.

At Kadiyali, Udupi District Congress Committee president Ashok Kumar Kodavoor addressed the gathering, criticising the BJP’s misinformation on issues such as 9/11 problems, rejection of applications under Akrama-Sakrama Sections 53 and 57, discontinuation of old age pensions and the Sandhya Suraksha scheme, and the increase in power tariffs. He highlighted the failures of the central government and clarified the state government’s position.

Speaking at the protest, Ramesh Kanchan urged Udupi MLAs to focus on their constituencies’ development rather than criticising the Congress party. He called on them to press for the completion of pending infrastructure works, including the Malpe National Highway, Ambalpady Road, Parkala Road, and Santhekatte Road, and to shift focus from communal politics to developmental governance.

At Ambalpady, Harish Kini, president of the District Congress Campaign Committee, said the Congress has always implemented people-centric programmes whenever in power and has never discontinued public welfare schemes. He accused the BJP of exploiting religious sentiments instead of addressing citizens’ real needs.

At Badanidiyoor, Krishna Murthy Acharya, president of the Udupi Constituency Campaign Committee, explained the benefits of the five guarantee schemes, stating that the people are experiencing immense support. He praised Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as an economic expert and questioned the BJP’s moral right to criticise him, given their own inclusion of guarantee schemes in their manifesto.

At Thenkanidiyoor, Prasad Raj Kanchan criticised the central government, pointing out that Karnataka is one of the leading states in GST collection, yet the Centre has withheld the state’s rightful share, resulting in injustice. He urged local MPs and MLAs to speak up against this discriminatory stance. He also reminded the gathering that it was the Congress party which ushered in transformative reforms such as the Land Reforms Act, bank nationalisation, and the Food Security Act—bringing real change to people's lives.

Several Congress leaders were present at the protests, including Jayakar Sherigar (President, Kadekar Gram Panchayat), Naveen Shetty (vice president), District Congress vice president Prakyath Shetty, Dinakar Herur (president, Udupi Urban Development Authority), Shobha Nayak (president, Thenkanidiyoor Gram Panchayat), Keerthi Shetty, Mahabala Kundar, Panchayat members, as well as district and block Congress office bearers, booth committee presidents, BLA-2s, and party workers.