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Monday, Sep 08, 2008
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All efforts will be made to maintain communal harmony: Yeddyurappa

S. Rajendran

His Government will be completing 100 days in office on Tuesday

People urged not to pay heed to rumours
‘Nobody has the right to indulge in forcible religious conversions’

B.S. Yeddyurappa

BANGALORE: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has directed the deputy commissioners and the superintendents of police in the districts to focus on maintaining communal harmony in the light of communal flare-ups in several States and reports of tension in some districts, including Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Davangere and Chitradurga.

Mr. Yeddyurappa, who will be completing 100 days in office on Tuesday, told The Hindu that all efforts would be made to maintain communal harmony. “The police intelligence has been alerted to keep a close watch on various developments. There has been no communal clash in the State for long and we will maintain this record. I call upon the people to refrain from paying heed to rumours which are aimed at fomenting trouble and tarnishing the image of the Government,” he said

On the reported religious conversions and the threat being held out to some minorities in some districts, the Chief Minister said: “The rule of law will prevail. Nobody has the right to indulge in forcible conversions, and inducement to pave the way for conversions is banned. However, I will direct the district officials and district in-charge Ministers to ensure that such activities are kept under check.”

Mr. Yeddyurappa said the interests of the minorities in the State had been taken care of and those with any grievance could either directly represent to him or to the respective district in-charge Ministers or senior officials. “Let it be known that we are here to run a development-oriented government and not to foster any religious faith to the detriment of another. All sections of society have a right to live and let live, and the Government will do its best to take care of their interests.”

The Chief Minister said that while he focussed on building a proper base for development in the past 100 days, his attention during the next 100 days would be on implementing programmes announced in the budget. To mark the 100 days on September 9, several welfare schemes, including payment of Rs. 1,000 to each small family of farmers (50 lakh families); cooperative loans at three per cent interest rate to farmers, fishermen and weavers; and six per cent higher education loan to students and self-help groups, would be implemented. He said: “We will now accelerate the pace of implementation of various schemes. Adequate funds have been earmarked for the purpose, and the Government will refrain from announcing any new programme. I have been misquoted that the State’s treasury is empty. The fact is that we only have requisite funds for the programmes that have been announced in the budget.” Towards better administration, intellectuals and academics would be made part of various task forces, he said.

On the Centre-State relations, given the fact that the State is run by a Bharatiya Janata Party Government, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that it was a fact that the Centre had been lukewarm in according sanction to various projects and schemes which was not the case with several other States. “Take the case of the fertilizer issue. Even today, fertilizer supply to Karnataka has not matched the demand. There is fertilizer shortage across the State. I have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Minister for Fertilizers Ram Vilas Paswan several times. It is the duty of the Union Government to ensure adequate supply of fertilizers to all States. My aim is to provide all farm inputs to farmers at their doorstep,” he said.

Mr. Yeddyurappa, who is gearing up for hosting the national executive committee meeting of the BJP here over the coming weekend, said that he would hold discussions with the Chief Ministers of the States ruled by the BJP on Centre-State relations. If needed, they would make a representation to the Centre on strengthening the federal structure.

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