The Hindu : Be ready for polls, Poojary tells partymen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 07, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Be ready for polls, Poojary tells partymen

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIDAR April 6. Stating that elections to Parliament and the Legislative Assembly can take place anytime, the KPCC president, B. Janardhan Poojary, on Sunday, called upon the Congress workers to be prepared for the "impending war''(elections).

Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Poojary warned dissidents that the party would not brook dissidence during the elections. Referring to the happenings in the Bidar unit of the party, which witnessed squabbling in the past, Mr. Poojary said the result of the Humnabad byelection should be an eye-opener to its leaders. "The result has shown what the party can achieve if the leaders are united. If you do not learn a lesson from this experience, you are doomed,'' he told them.

Mr. Poojary said that on the directions from the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi, rallies were being held all over the State in protest against the attack on Iraq. A massive convention of workers of local bodies in the State would be held in October or November. The venue had not been decided. A convention of Stree Shakti workers would also be held.

He lauded the way the Government was being run by the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna. Mr. Poojary was all praise for the Bidar people for reposing faith in the Congress in the byelection. He had promised them that he would get back to them to redress their grievances.

As was promised during the byelection, the Government had sanctioned a veterinary university to the district. It had also kept its promise of sanctioning more houses to the district.

Responding to a plea for forming the Bidar Milk Union by bifurcating the Gulbarga Milk Union, Mr. Poojary said he would work towards getting the demand fulfilled.

The district in-charge Minister, Basavaraj Patil Humnabad, who was present, said the Government was seized of the matter. Efforts were also underway to set up a milk processing and packing unit here.

Mr. Poojary said that he and the Minister would visit drought-affected areas and review the relief works undertaken.

Earlier, Mr. Poojary made a scathing attack on the United States President, George Bush. Addressing a rally of Congress workers here, he said Mr. Bush had become more dangerous than Hitler. "The attack on Iraq highlights American arrogance. It may win the war, but at the end, it will be the loser as world opinion is against its action. Mr. Bush has shown utter disregard to world opinion," Mr. Poojary said. "Mr. Bush did not even listen to the Pope who appealed to him against launching the war on Iraq". The KPCC chief said the war was unwarranted. The U.S. had no right to interfere in Iraq's internal affairs. "It is for the Iraqis to decide who should be their leader," he said.

Mr. Poojary also criticised the U.S. stance on the Kashmir issue. "It is helping Pakistan which is waging a proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir, which has resulted in the killing of innocent people."

He criticised the BJP-led NDA Government for not coming out strongly against the U.S.

The party workers took out a procession from the Congress office to the Deputy Commissioner's office. Mr. Humnabad, the Minister for Housing, Sagir Ahmed, the KPCC vice-president, S.A. Ziddi, the KPCC general secretary, Prakash Rathod, the DCC president, Basavaraj Bulla, the legislators, M.G. Muley, Maruthi Maley, and Gundappa Biradar, the Slum Clearance Board chairman, C. Narayanappa, and others took part in the rally.

The DCC president submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, which was addressed to the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

The memorandum condemned the "barbaric acts" of the U.S. which claimed to be the custodian of liberty and equality.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Be ready for polls, Poojary tells partymen

Govt.'s decision, a big blow to Project Tiger

SC's remark makes Govt. replace PCCF

Angry tusker at it again

Security tightened around monuments in Hassan Dt.