BJP Padayatra From Lingasugur on Sept 1; Vijayendra Alleges SCSP-TSP Fund Misuse, Seeks 2.5 Lakh Jobs
Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra said the party will launch its padayatra from Lingasugur on September 1, raising issues including the alleged misuse of SCSP-TSP funds, reservation, drought, lack of development in North Karnataka and employment for youth.
Speaking to the media at the BJP state office, Jagannath Bhavan, in Malleswaram, Vijayendra said there was no confusion over the padayatra and that he had discussed it with the party’s national leaders and obtained their approval.
Vijayendra said he had personally spoken to Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy about the padayatra and that they had also discussed it together in the presence of Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka. He said he would speak to Kumaraswamy again, suggesting there may have been a misunderstanding.
He said the resignation of Nagendra was only one among several issues behind the march and that the BJP would take up eight to 10 issues during the padayatra.
Responding to a question on the arrest of an IAS officer in connection with KPSC, Vijayendra said Home Minister Priyank Kharge had stated a week earlier that the officer had gone to his village in Uttar Pradesh, but police who went there did not find him. He said the officer had now appeared for investigation and demanded that the probe establish the truth, irrespective of how influential those involved may be.
Vijayendra also accused the Congress government of injustice towards Dalits. Referring to K.N. Rajanna’s resignation, he questioned whether Congress leaders had not considered his Dalit and Scheduled Tribe identity when his resignation was obtained after he raised questions concerning Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of vote theft.
He further alleged misuse of SEP and TSP funds and questioned the government’s commitment to Dalit communities. Vijayendra said the previous BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai had increased reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and accused the Congress government of undermining those measures.
He demanded that Rs 185 crore allegedly misused from the Valmiki Development Corporation be returned to the corporation. He also called for implementation of the proposed parallel reservoir project in the Koppal region and demanded that the government provide jobs to 2.5 lakh youth as promised.
Vijayendra alleged that the Congress government had not created a single job and said the BJP’s September 1 padayatra would highlight SCSP-TSP, reservation, drought, employment and the lack of development in North Karnataka.
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