HASSAN: The former Minister B. Shivaram on Tuesday alleged that the BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition Government had failed to safeguard the interests of the minorities, and the recent communal violence in Bhatkal was an indicator to that effect.

Participating in a convention organised by the district unit of the Congress Seva Dal, he said that by removing the portrait of B.R. Ambedkar from his chamber soon after assuming office, Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had established the fact that the BJP had no respect for the father of the Indian Constitution.

It was difficult for the minorities and the backward classes to get justice and protection from the present Government, he added.

Terming the budget presented by Mr. Yediyurappa as anti-farmer, he said the Finance Minister was always at the forefront in pressuring successive governments to waive crop loans and supply power free of cost to farmers. Now that he was in power, he has failed to implement his two major concerns. Referring to the decision of the Government to extend credit through cooperative banks at 4 per cent interest, he said it is not a great achievement as it would burden the exchequer only to the tune of Rs. 40 crores.

Hailing the gesture of the Union Government in extending credit to the farm sector through commercial banks at 7 per cent interest, he said despite claiming that it was pro-farmer, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) did little to help the farmers.

Reacting to the allegation of party leader Nanjappa that groupism in the district unit was the reason for the dismal performance of the Congress in the recent elections, Mr. Shivaram said though there were difference of opinions, all leaders had worked for the success of the party. Making such allegations in the public would further damage the party's image.

Convention

Presiding over the function, former Minister and senior party leader H.C. Srikantaiah regretted that the District Congress Committee had failed to conduct a party convention in the district prior to the zilla and taluk panchayats elections, though it committee was keen to hold it. Now, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee was streamlining the leadership and the district unit would be strengthened, he added. The committee would hold the convention on a grand scale, he assured the party workers.

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