Observer The weekly
ursday, November 14, 2013
VOL 13 ISSUE 17
Muslims stage
Increased health
Three generations
hunger strike
risks due to fewer
of drug dealers
over holy ground
ASHA workers
busted by police
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Rally for free rice Congress MLA ST Somashekar. According to Sanjeev Raj, a
food grains, however, is purely an
who attended was asked to produce
initiative of the Congress Party.”
the token in order to receive the
member of the Kumbalgodu
He added, “ere is no connec-
promised amount of rice. is is
Panchayat and the Congress
tion between the meeting and the
how the Party keeps a count on the
Party, the event, ‘Sahakara Sap-
distribution of rice. We are not
number of people who attended the
tah’ (Co-operation Week), is an
using this as a promotional gim-
event.”
annual one which provides food
mick. is is purely social work.”
grains and pensions to the poor and aged people in the area.
Swami, an auto-rickshaw driver
According to Jayamma, 67, a res-
from Kumbalgodu, said, “e
ident of Ramanagara, “e Chief
claims of the Congress that the dis-
Motamma, an elderly lady who
Minister promised to provide
tribution of rice is only for helping
attended the rally said, “When
monthly pensions worth Rs. 400 to
people are wrong. It is very evident
A local Congress worker hands out bags of rice to rally attendees they took us for the meeting we Bhaskar Dutta, they later exchanged for rice. were promised 20 kilograms of rice. Mayuri J. Ravi & Pranay e rice was being distributed at However, aer the rally was over, Lakshminarasimhan
widows. He also told us to stay with
that this is done to attract votes in
the Congress Party and not cast our
the upcoming elections. “
She added that despite being
the BJP Prime Ministerial candi-
Hundreds of people were given
and a Panchayat member’s house in
Narayanamma, a resident of De-
promised more, she was only given
date Narendra Modi’s imminent
rice for attending a rally organ-
Kumbalgodu. e bags of rice were
vagere Colony, said, “e local Pan-
one kilogram of rice for attending
visit to the city.
ized by the Congress party.
branded with images of Karnataka
chayat members told us there was a
the rally.
a real estate office in Tagachaguppe
Ten bus-loads of villagers from
we were only given 5 kilograms.”
votes in favor of the Opposition.”
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and
meeting at Tavarekere which is 20-
and
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Com-
25 kilometers from Kumbalgodu. I
resident
Tagachaguppe were driven to Gol-
mittee President G. Parameshwara.
do not know how much rice I have
Kumbal-
larahatti on the NICE Road junc-
Some of those who attended
been given. We are just accepting
godu, said,
tion for the rally which was
spoke to the Observer and claimed
whatever we are being given.”
“When peo-
reportedly attended by more than
they had been promised 20kg of
Devaraj, the son of the Kumbal-
ple boarded
one lakh people.
rice but only received 5kg. One lady
godu Panchayat President, said “Sa-
the bus they
even complained she only got 1kg
hakara Saptah is a commemorative
were given a
of rice for attending.
Kumbalgodu,
Gollahalli
Although local Congress members maintained that the event was
Sushila, a of
event where we provide recognition
token. Aer
purely aimed at social upliment,
e rally was attended by Siddara-
to people who have been active so-
the
locals were handed tokens which
maiah, G. Parameshwara and local
cial workers. e distribution of
everyone
ML A owns death crash bus Anannya Sarkar & Bhavika Bhuwalka Seven people including three children died when a Volvo bus travelling from Bangalore to Mumbai caught fire on ursday morning. It’s the second time in 15 days a Volvo coach travelling from Banga-
lore has caught fire. Abdul Hamir, police inspector, Haveri Police Station, said the bus, owned by three-time MLA and exminister Zameer Ahmed Khan, hit the median at Haveri and caught fire. Mr Khan’s company has pledged Rs. 5lakh to victims. Hamir said, “A family of five, with
e event comes in the wake of
rally,
A woman takes away bags of rice aer attending the rally
Photo credit: Rajendra Ritti
three children, died along with one of the bus drivers, Nawaz, who was sleeping on the floor. e identity of the seventh person is unknown.” e injured were rushed to Haveri District Hospital for treatment. Continued on Page 5
The charred Bangalore-Mumbai National Travels bus