The Hindu : Karnataka News : Rajnath Singh accuses Centre of ignoring internal security

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Friday, Jan 04, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Rajnath Singh accuses Centre of ignoring internal security

Staff Correspondent

BJP president promises waiver of loan and other sops for fishermen, weavers

BJP will do well in State polls: party chief
‘Congress trying to get Assembly polls delayed’

IN ELECTION MODE: BJP president Rajnath Singh, party’s State unit president D.V. Sadananda Gowda, and the former Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa at the farmers’ rally held in Lingsugur town of Raichur district on Thursday.

RAICHUR: Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh has said the terrorism was on the rise and internal security had weakened ever since the United Progressive Alliance came to power at the Centre.

Mr. Rajnath Singh was addressing a farmers’ rally organised by his party in Lingsugur town, 90 km from Raichur, on Thursday.

The BJP chief said the people had been living under pressure as the UPA Government had failed to control terrorism and strengthen internal security. The situation was under control during the rule of the BJP under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His party would handle these issues effectively if it came to power at the Centre, he said.

He said the Centre had maintained anti-people and anti-farmer policies, and failed to control the price on all essential commodities. Lack of commitments within the leaders of the UPA Government the development of the country was on the decline.

His party would safeguard the interest of the people if the people voted his party to power at the Centre, he said.

Mr. Rajnath Singh said the maladministration and anti-farmer policies adopted by the UPA Government had forced farmers to commit suicide. In the Congress rule, over 15,000 farmers committed suicide. His party would arrange crop loans and financial assistance to the fishermen and weavers through the nationalised banks at 4 per cent interest, and also fulfil all its commitments for the welfare of the poor and the downtrodden.

On the decision of the Centre to implement the Sethusamudram Project, he said the UPA Government had been trying to curtail the religious rights of the people by destroying the Ram Sethu. His party had always opposed it.

Mr. Rajnath Singh said the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) were responsible for the premature fall of coalition Government in Karnataka which led to early elections to the State Assembly.

His party gave sincere support to the Janata Dal (Secular) to continue the coalition rule in the State for 20 months. But the Government fell unexpectedly as the Janata Dal (Secular) refused to transfer power to the BJP as was agreed. The people would teach a lesion to the Congress and the Janata Dal (S) in the coming elections to the Assembly.

He said that Mr. Yediyurappa was the first person in his party who extended crop loans at 4 per cent interest and took steps to write off farm loans of up to Rs. 25,000 when he held the Finance portfolio in the Janata Dal (Secular)-BJP coalition Government in the State. He appealed to the people to vote his party to power in the next Assembly elections in the State as had happened in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

The former Union Minister and BJP vice-president in-charge of Karnataka Yeshvanth Sinha, party’s State unit president D.V. Sadanad Gowda, the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, and the former Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, R. Ashok, Govind Karjol, B. Sriramulu, Karunakar Reddy, MP and MLCs Janardhana Reddy, Sushil G. Namoshi and Manohar Maski were present.

Mid-term poll

Bellary Staff Correspondent reports:

Mr. Rajnath Singh said that mid-term elections cannot be ruled out in the country.

Speaking to presspersons during a brief halt at Bellary airport here on Thursday, he said that the squabbles among the partners of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) gave an indication that snap polls were likely.

The poll outcome in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh had boosted the image of the BJP, which was a favourite to win the next elections.

He expressed confidence that the BJP would emerge as the single largest party and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would form the next government at the Centre with L.K. Advani as the next Prime Minister.

Mr. Singh expected the party to do well in the Assembly elections in Karnataka also.

“In Karnataka, the BJP has become popular,” he said.

He said there were no differences in the party over the leadership issue.

He said the party had not yet declared its chief ministerial candidate. “The party will soon declare the name. A decision in this regard will be taken after discussion at a meeting of the party’s parliamentary board,” he said.

Expressing himself in favour of holding Assembly elections in the State by the end of February, Mr. Singh said there was no reason for postponing the polls.

He endorsed the views of some State BJP leaders that the Congress was trying to get the poll process delayed and said: “The Congress, out of fear of losing the elections, might have been keen to ensure that the elections are delayed.”

On admitting the former Deputy Chief Minister M.P. Prakash and his followers into the party, Mr. Singh said the decision was left to the State unit.

Later, Mr. Singh, accompanied by Mr. Yashwant Sinha Suresh Kumar party spokesperson; B. Sriramulu, former Minister; and G. Janardhan Reddy, MLC, proceeded to Lingasugur in Raichur district to participate in the farmers’ rally organised by the party.

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