The Hindu : Karnataka News : People lend a big helping hand

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 30, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

People lend a big helping hand

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, DEC. 29. Padayatras organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (United) in Bangalore on Wednesday received a good response from the public with hundreds of traders, businessmen, and others coming forward to donate money for relief works in the tsunami-hit States.

The BJP General Secretary and MP, H.N. Ananth Kumar, the BJP State unit President, Jagadish Shettar, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, B.S. Yediyurappa, offered puja at the Anjaneya Temple at Mysore Bank Circle in Bangalore and took out the padayatra. They met hundreds of traders and businessmen on Kempe Gowda Road, Avenue Road, B.V. Krishna Iyengar Road, and Chickpet and collected money.

The general public, including traders, shop-keepers, and footpath vendors, dropped currency notes in the denomination of Rs. 10, Rs. 50, Rs. 100 and Rs. 500 into boxes and responded to the woes of those affected by tsunami.

R. Ashok, P.C. Mohan, S. Raghu and Nirmal Surana, MLAs, and Ramachandra Gowda, MLC, also participated in the padayatra.

The padayatra organised by the Janata Dal (U) also received a good response from the public in Bangalore. The President of the State unit of the Janata Dal (U), B. Somashekar, Basavaraj Bommai, and Nadagouda, MLCs, and Michael Fernandes, younger brother of the Janata Dal (U) President and former Defence Minister, George Fernandes, participated in the padayatra and collected money from shop-keepers and traders on Kempe Gowda Road, Chickpet and Balepet.

Mr. Somashekar told The Hindu that the party has also decided to organise more padayatras in other towns and cities.

Mr. Somashekar said he will tour the areas affected by tsunami in Tamil Nadu for three days from Thursday.

Judges donate

The Chief Justice and judges of the Karnataka High Court have contributed Rs. 1.60 lakhs to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to help the victims affected by the tsunami tidal waves.

An official release from the Registrar-General of the High Court on Wednesday said the Chief Justice and the judges had cancelled the annual dinner for 2005.

NSUI to send teams

The National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress, has said that it is sending 30 students to the tsunami-affected areas of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

NSUI members told presspersons here on Wednesday that its Bangalore city wing will coordinate the collection of blankets, bed-sheets, clothes, and other relief material at R.C. College, Race Course Road, opposite Hotel Chalukya, Bangalore.

According to the organisation, members will coordinate with all colleges in Bangalore for the purpose. They said that a Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee member, Suresh, had already donated 2,000 blankets. Ultimately, they hope to send 1.75 lakh blankets.

NSUI members plan to leave on January 4 for Nagapattinam and Cuddalore (both in Tamil Nadu) and other affected areas in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

Those who want to help can leave old clothes and other material at the designated college or contact NSUI on 9845078159/9886079744

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