Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani said on Wednesday that the late V.S. Acharya was a man of integrity, who was diligent and hard working. He was speaking at a condolence meeting organised by the district administration to mourn the passing away of the Minister in Bangalore on Tuesday.
Mr. Advani said it was under Acharya's leadership that the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (predecessor of Bharatiya Janata Party) opened its account for the first time in south India, by winning the then Udupi Town Municipal Council in 1968. The Udupi municipality was consistently rated as the best administered urban local body under the State governments of different dispensations. It was this kind of leadership which helped the BJP capture the State later on, he said.
He went on to say that Acharya was even liked by his opponents. “People like Acharya are role models. We should imbibe his values. This will be our tribute to him,” Mr. Advani said.
Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda said that Acharya was an open and cordial person and a financial expert. “I was expecting his help while preparing for the next budget. But it is not to be,” he said.
The former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said that Acharya was a good administrator. “He played an important part in the preparations of all my budgets. When he spoke on any issue in the Legislative Council, all members would listen to him. Though it is difficult to be honest in politics, Acharya retained his clean reputation. A memorial should be built to perpetuate Acharya's memory,” he suggested.
H.N. Ananth Kumar, MP, said that the Government should start an institute of economic growth and parliamentary affairs named after Acharya in Manipal, with its head office in Bangalore. Newly elected representatives could be given training on parliamentary matters at such an institute.
Call for course correction
Bangalore Special Correspondent reports:
The best way to pay tributes to Acharya, who was known for his commitment to the party ideology, is to prevent the party from being ridiculed as a “party with differences”' and to make it re-earn the sobriquet of “the party with a difference”, said veteran BJP leader Rama Jois on Wednesday.
Participating in a programme organised by the party in Bangalore to pay homage to Acharya Mr. Jois expressed concern that selfishness as well as lust for power and money were being seen in the party though the party ideologues had sacrificed their lives to fight such evils.
State party president K.S. Eshwarappa described Acharya as the ideal party worker and called upon others to emulate the principles of the departed leader.
He sought to remind party workers and leaders that a large number of party veterans, including Acharya, had lived a life of principles and sacrifice that had earned the goodwill of the people.
