Karnataka: BJP’s 10-Day Padayatra To Begin On September With 9-Demands
Nagendra, representing Ballari Rural Assembly seat, resigned as Minister on Friday: Reports
BENGALURU: A 10 day-long padayatra will be taken out by the leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party starting September 1 in supporting of their 10-demands of one of them has been met following the resignation of B. Nagendra, as Minister of Planning and Statistics over his alleged role in the financial irregularities in Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, a State Government undertaking. Nagendra, representing Ballari Rural Assembly seat, resigned as Minister on Friday.
The padayatra has been planned having points in mind while one has been met, said MLC Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and stated 9 others remains to be addressed as Rs 53,000 crore for welfare of Scheduled Castes/Tribes has been allegedly diverted for other purposes by the State Government and the padayatra will mount pressure on the State Government to make these funds available for the welfare of SC/STs.
Narayanaswamy stated a reservation of 7.5 percent is for members of Scheduled Tribes in the country and the percent must go up as per the population figures. But, the same reservation is not available for ST members in Karnataka? The demand is to raise the reservation from 7 percent to 17 percent.
The MLC recalled owing to the efforts of former minister B. Sreeramulu then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai increased the reservation for SC/STs and the reservation was reduced by the Congress led State Government. “What were the MLAs belonging to STs doing when the reservation was cut?” he questioned.
B. Sreeramulu said the padayatra will be flagged off in Lingsugur of Raichur where a convention will be held. The convention will be attended by Union Ministers-Prahlad Joshi and H.D. Kumaraswamy, Leader of Opposition in Assembly R. Ashoka among others. The padayatra will cover Karatagi, Gangavathi, Sandur, Ballari Rural Assembly seat before reaching Ballari city for the valedictory function.
