Will raise issue of drug menace in Karnataka during winter session of Legislative Council: Bhandari

Mangaluru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Working President and MLC Manjunath Bhandari said that he will raise the issue of drug menace in the state and also in undivided Dakshina Kannada district during the upcoming winter session of the Legislative Council.

As the drug peddlers and those involved in drug mafia come out on bail after a few months of serving in prison, there is a need to discuss it in the council and bring amendment to the act to punish the culprits, he said.

To a query on drug menace in the region, Bhandari told mediapersons that he had written to the IGP and Commissioner of Police to take action to keep a check on the situation. "DGP Alok Mohan, too, has taken the issue seriously. Drug menace can not be tolerated at any cost as children who fall prey to it are the future of the country," he said.

Will write to CM

Bhandari said that he will write to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to set up a public school for the children of police personnel in undivided Dakshina Kannada. The CM had announced that public schools will be set up in seven prominent locations in the state. “I will write to the CM to consider setting up one of them either in DK or Udupi district to benefit the police personnel from the region," he said.

All are welcome

To a query on C P Yogeshwar joining the Congress, the KPCC working president said that all those who accept the principles of Congress are welcome to join the party. C P Yogeshwar is not indispensable to Congress.

Coming down heavily on H D Kumaraswamy, he said, "It is clear who is day dreaming now. Everyone knows how Kumaraswamy betrayed the BJP and who he is with him now. He threatens to release documents and send people to jail. Who is stopping him from doing so? Take action if there is any truth in his allegation."

"As the Union Minister for Industries, he should reveal his contributions to Karnataka. What steps has he taken to stop the closing down and privatisation of industries? In the name of privatisation of the public sector, reservation is taken away by the government. First, you should do something for the benefit of the people, instead of just engaging in politics," he added.

On being asked about the row over the Parashurama statue at Karkala, he said that with the High Court’s verdict, now the investigation will have to be carried out to bring out the truth.

MLC bypoll: Congress will win, says Bhandari

Manjunath Bhandari expressed confidence in Congress candidate Raju Poojary and claimed that he will win the MLC by-election from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi local bodies constituency. “Congress has fielded an able candidate who has in depth knowledge on the panchayat raj system. We have worked before the election in a systematic manner and tried to convince the voters,” he said.

To a query on GP members boycotting the election in Keradi and Jadkal, he said, "we tried to convince them by clearing the government’s stand on the Kasturirang report. The boycott will slightly have an impact on Congress votes," he said.