Stalin visits restaurant attacked by DMK members, offers compensation
Chennai, Aug 2: DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Thursday visited a restaurant whose owner and employees were attacked by party members and offered to pay for the damages, an act that won the heart of the proprietor.
Stalin went to the R.R. Anbu Biryani restaurant here and comforted the owner and employees for the weekend incident. He was accompanied by former Union Telecom Minister and Propaganda Secretary A. Raja and other colleagues.
On Sunday night, a group of DMK members led by Yuvaraj went to R.R. Anbu Biryani and demanded free biryani. The hotel employees told them that business had ended for the day, said police.
Enraged at this, Yuvaraj assaulted the cashier and other employees. He was joined by another party member, Diwakar.
The video of the attack went viral on the social media, following which the DMK on Wednesday suspended Yuvaraj and Diwakar for bringing disrepute to the party.
Stalin also condemned the violence on the hotel staff.
On Thursday, after Stalin comforted owner R.R. Tamilselvan, the latter praised the DMK leader whose father and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi is warded in hospital battling major health related issues.
"I don't have any words to say. Even when his father, a great leader, is admitted in hospital, Stalin came to our restaurant and comforted us all," Tamilselvan said.
"Earlier he had called us to the DMK headquarters and enquired about the incident and the damages. He said he would want to visit the outlet." He pledged to make good the losses.
Tamilselvam said Stalin had asked the local party leaders as to how and why such persons were admitted to the DMK.
Tamilselvan said Yuvaraj always used to come to the restaurant and demand discount on food. He also expected not be billed for the food consumed.
Tamilselvan said he started his food business on a cartwheel and eventually grew into a 21-outlet chain.
Meanwhile, the police have arrested five persons while Yuvaraj and Diwakar are absconding.
According to the hotel staff, Yuvaraj had come to the hotel a week earlier and had parked his vehicle blocking the entrance, resulting in an argument with the hotel staff.
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Dy CM Shivakumar confident of Congress win in Karnataka bypolls
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday expressed confidence that the ruling Congress will secure a decisive victory in the Assembly bypolls scheduled for April 9 in the Bagalkote and Davanagere South constituencies, citing a favourable ground response to the party’s guarantee schemes.
These are ‘Shakti’, ‘Gruha Lakshmi’, ‘Gruha Jyoti’, ‘Yuva Nidhi’ and ‘Anna Bhagya’.
The bypolls were necessitated by the demise of sitting Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, who represented Davanagere South and Bagalkote constituencies, respectively.
The Congress has fielded Shivashankarappa’s grandson, Samarth Shamanur, in Davanagere South and Umesh Meti in Bagalkote. They are locked in direct contests with BJP candidates T Dasakariyappa and Veerabhadrayya Charantimath.
“Both Bagalkote and Davanagere are very positive. Congress workers are doing an excellent job, going door to door and convincing people about the guarantee schemes,” Shivakumar told reporters here.
He said even voters who had earlier supported the BJP were now inclined towards the Congress.
“Even those who voted for the BJP earlier are saying they will vote for Congress. People want the guarantees to continue and are expressing difficulties due to rising prices,” he said.
Expressing confidence of an improved electoral performance, he added, “There is a strong sense that we will win with a bigger margin than before.”
Shivakumar also said he would travel to Kerala for two days and resume campaigning thereafter. “I am going to Kerala for two days. After returning, we will continue the campaign from Davanagere,” he said.
Referring to the shortage of LPG, including auto LPG, in the state, Shivakumar blamed the BJP-led government and called for immediate intervention by the Centre.
“The LPG shortage is due to the BJP. Auto drivers and those in the transport sector are facing difficulties,” he claimed.
“This is something the central government has to address. It must formulate proper policies and take precautionary measures,” he said, adding that the BJP should apologise to the public.
“They should come forward and apologise to the people for the inconvenience caused and resolve the issues they have created,” he said.
