Billava candidates more important than party affiliations for us: Shri Narayana Guru Forum president
Sathyajith Surathkal, the State President of the Shri Narayana Guru Vichara Vedike (SNGV), announced that the forum has decided to prioritize the candidate over the party affiliation and will extend support to Billava candidates in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections across several constituencies, irrespective of their party affiliations. This decision was made public during a press conference held at the Press Club in Mangaluru on Monday.
Surathkal highlighted the significance of the decision, stating that the 'Narayana Guru Samaja,' comprising 26 communities including Billavas, Eedigas, and Namdharis, has long sought representation in electoral politics. He emphasized the presence of a substantial Billava voter base, totaling 12 lakh voters, across Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, and Shivamogga districts. Surathkal pointed out that despite this demographic strength, the BJP had not fielded a Billava candidate for over three decades. However, this year, Kota Srinivas Poojary has been nominated as the BJP candidate from the Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency after a hiatus of 33 years.
Regarding the Congress, Surathkal noted that the party had selected a Bunt candidate for the Dakshina Kannada constituency following the unsuccessful Lok Sabha campaigns of veteran leader B Janardhana Poojary.
Surathkal also outlined the efforts of the SNGV in advocating for the advancement of various backward communities, including their advocacy for representation in development boards, the inclusion of Narayana Guru's teachings in textbooks, and the renaming of airports in Mangaluru and Shivamogga.
The SNGV announced its support for Padmaraj R of the Congress in Dakshina Kannada, Kota Srinivas Poojary of the BJP in Udupi-Chikmagalur, and Geetha Shivaraj Kumar, the Congress candidate, in Shimoga. Surathkal assured personal involvement in campaigning for these candidates, expressing hope that their victory would lead to improved educational and economic conditions for the community members.
Responding to queries about his own candidacy, Surathkal lamented the lack of opportunity given to him by the BJP, attributing it to his caste and economic background. He criticized the party's preference for candidates who unquestioningly follow directives from party leaders, asserting his commitment to individuals who uphold self-dignity.
While Surathkal acknowledged the nomination of Kota Srinivas Poojary as a positive step, he maintained that there is room for debate on whether the selection truly represents the interests of the Billava community. He suggested alternative candidates who he believed could have been considered for the nomination based on their past performance in public service roles.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
