India: Interview with trade unionist Michael B Fernandes, Bangalore now with KJP

(From: Citizen Matters,03 May 2013)

Most KJP election candidates in the city are ex-BJP workers. But in Sarvagna Nagar, the party is fielding Michael B Fernandes, who had been with the JD(U) until recently.
 [. . .]
Yeddyurappa, who is leading KJP, has a tainted record. What is your comment on this?

I don’t believe much of what media talks about Yeddyurappa. About illegal mining, one can find out from papers that Yeddyurappa was fighting against illegal mining. The ministers in his cabinet involved in those activities, were posted by Congress. Yeddyurappa was urging the Centre to ban export of ore. Centre delayed it. Congress, in both state and centre, backed up the ministers responsible and wanted Yeddyurappa to quit his chair. Second is Santosh Hegde’s report on illegal denotifications by Yeddyurappa, which has been rejected by the High Court. Let the court decide, media cannot decide. Many chief ministers and father-son combinations have done more than what Yeddyurappa has done. I have never seen a CM who was mentally tortured and harassed as much as Yeddyurappa was. I have not seen anyone showing the courage and fortitude that he has. He could take KJP forward like no one else could; he has the charisma for that.

What about the attacks on churches during his tenure?

Many feel that he was anti-minority as a BJP man. But when he gave Rs 500 crore for Hindu temples, he raised the funds for minorities from Rs 86 crore to Rs 386 crore. For 2% of the Christian population, he set up an exclusive fund of Rs 50 crore to be handled by a separate committee of Christians. He has secular credentials. Now he’s out of BJP and shackles binding him, he is saying ‘social justice to all’ by equal share and equal opportunities for all. I accept that as his signature line. Mahendra Kumar of Bajrang Dal had claimed responsibility for the church attacks on TV. Saffron parivar was obliged to remove him then, but Yeddyurappa did not protect him. Yeddyurappa was not the total boss of the show - you have to be in his shoes to know the pressure on him. [. . .].

FULL text at: http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/view/5237-sarvagna-nagar-michael-fernades-assembly-elections

Watch out before you go for coconuts in Karnataka? Karnataka Janata Party (KJP)'s new party symbol

Times of India

Yeddurappa's political outfit seeks coconut as party symbol

By Jaideep Shenoy, TNN | Feb 17, 2013, 06.16 PM IST

MANGALORE: The Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) headed by former CM BS Yeddyurappa has moved the election commission to allocate the coconut as its party symbol, V Dhananjay Kumar, senior KJP leader said. The state election commission has recognised KJP as a regional political party and has been allocated serial number 47 as mentioned in a special Gazette published on February 15. The party has also move the ECI to recognise it as a regional political party, he added.

Announcing the name of social worker and educationist Kallekkar Guthu Ravindra Shetty as the president of Dakshina Kannada district unit of the party here on Sunday, Dhananjay said Ravindra hailing from Bunt community is the president of Rathna Education Trust that manages the Vidya Rathna English Medium School at Deralakate. He heads a 45-member core committee of office bearers that will manage party affairs in Dakshina Kannada.

Dhananjay said the party has given preference to people of all taluks in the district and religions to take care of socio-regional-religious balance while constituting the district unit. The party with its thrust on attracting the youth towards it has also chosen Kiran Shetty to head its youth wing, Jyothika Jain as the chief of its women's wing, and Hameed Kudroli to head the minority wing and these units will work on directions from the district unit.
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