‘How Can You Call Yourself Praja Sevaka?’: Vijayendra Targets DK Shivakumar Over BPL Cards, Vacancies, North Karnataka Visit
Gangavathi/Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra stepped up his attack on Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar as the Ballari Chalo padayatra entered its sixth day, questioning the Chief Minister’s ‘Praja Sevaka’ pitch and alleging that the BJP agitation had prompted him to turn his attention towards North Karnataka.
Addressing a press conference at Jangamara Kalgudi in Gangavathi, Vijayendra referred to Shivakumar’s statement that he should not be called ‘Naadina Dore’ but ‘Praja Sevaka’. He claimed the Chief Minister had remained in Bengaluru for the past three months and said people were asking whether he would have travelled towards North Karnataka had the BJP not launched its padayatra.
“Wearing a suit and boot and travelling in a helicopter does not make anyone a Praja Sevaka,” Vijayendra said.
Vijayendra also targeted Shivakumar over the proposed Bidadi township and Kanakapura airport, alleging that the two projects appeared to be among the Chief Minister’s biggest ambitions. He claimed Shivakumar appeared to be calculating that once the two projects were completed, it would not matter whether he became Chief Minister in the future.
Turning to welfare and public services, Vijayendra alleged that the number of BPL cards was being reduced and that lakhs of poor people had been affected. He questioned whether the government had any humanity towards those affected.
He further alleged that drought relief had not been provided, rural schools lacked teachers, hospitals did not have doctors and shepherd communities were not receiving adequate facilities.
“How can the Chief Minister be called a Praja Sevaka in such a situation?” Vijayendra asked.
Also Read: From Modi’s 2014 ‘Pradhan Sewak’ to DK Shivakumar’s ‘Praja Sevaka’: Karnataka CM Says ‘Don’t Call Me Ruler’
Vijayendra said advertisements and actual programmes were different, arguing that people would recognise leaders as public servants only when programmes reached ordinary citizens and schemes benefited poor families.
He alleged that children from shepherding communities were not receiving adequate education and that free medicines were unavailable. He asked what the government had done for the poor and said the ‘Praja Sevaka’ description would carry meaning only if people themselves felt they had a good government.
“Colourful words, wearing a suit and boot and travelling in a helicopter do not make anyone a Praja Sevaka. Real public service is possible only when you respond to people’s difficulties and bring change to their lives,” Vijayendra said.
He also demanded recruitment to 2.5 lakh vacant government posts.
Vijayendra separately responded to a statement attributed to Minister U.T. Khader that former minister B. Nagendra would receive a clean chit and return to the ministry.
“Before Nagendra gets a clean chit, let them return the ₹187 crore,” Vijayendra demanded.
He said people had seen several ‘clean chits’ in the past and referred to how the ACB was constituted under previous governments while questioning the credibility of such claims.
“We have seen enough clean chits. We have also seen how clean chits were obtained by creating the ACB during previous governments. People are no longer in a position to believe talk of clean chits,” Vijayendra said.
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