Mangaluru: The Rajya Sabha MP Dr L Hanumanthaiah proffered his views regarding B Ramanath Rai, the Congress candidate vying for the Bantwal legislative constituency, noting Rai as a good human being apt to serve the people. Hanumanthaiah delivered a keynote address at the Aikatha Samavesha, organized by the Bantwal Congress scheduled caste and tribe units, held at the Sprasha Kala Mandir of B C Road.
In his address, Dr Hanumanthaiah expressed concern regarding the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) proposal to alter the Constitution, which he views as providing protection for citizens. He contended that members of the Dalit community possess the capacity to resist this notion, even at the cost of their own blood, adding that as the BJP recognizes the impracticality of changing the Constitution overnight, they are gradually weakening it. He further emphasized that various organizations established by Congress have been privatized by the BJP, resulting in the deprivation of reservations for the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities, which he considers a severe injustice. He asserted that only by attaining power again can Congress prevent this outcome.
MLC Manjunath Bhandary commented on the value of the Constitution, which has bestowed upon individuals the principles of equality, freedom, and brotherhood, with Congress contributing significantly to the progress of India through the creation of numerous laws under the Constitution. He added that only by securing a win in the elections, can Congress uphold the honour of the Constitution.
Ramanath Rai spoke about his dedication to working with people of all classes, particularly weak and downtrodden. He highlighted the Congress party’s commitment to resolving the long-standing issue of DC land relaxation, a demand of the Dalits of Dakshina Kannada. Rai vowed to address this matter upon Congress’s success in forming a government after the elections.
Finally, Nitin Kulal Allipade and Seetaram Poojary made the decision to join Congress from the BJP. Present at the event were R Dharmasena, Janardhan Chendtimar, Suresh PB, Chandrappa Master, Chandrahas Naik, Harish Kumar, Shekhar Kukkedi, Narayana Naik, Dr Raghu, Somnath, Sarojini, Appi, Jaya Kumar, and Pius Rodrigues.
