Accusing BJP leaders of branding him a Naxalite for working for the rehabilitation of Adivasis in Diddahalli village of Kodagu district, Kannada actor and activist Chetan sought an apology from party leaders for including his name in their “charge sheet” and “undermining the struggle launched for a social cause”.
Addressing presspersons in the city on Sunday, Mr. Chetan said: “We have succeeded in building more than 500 houses for evicted tribals in Daddahalli. I have no alternative but to fight a legal battle if Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa fail to remove my name from the ‘charge sheet’ and tender an apology for terming the Diddahalli struggle a Naxalite-inspired one.”
He said that in 2013, they had formed the Endosulfan Virodhi Horata Samiti and fought till the State government released funds for the rehabilitation of endosulfan victims.
Sore over Kheny's induction
Expressing displeasure over the induction of Bidar South MLA and businessman Ashok Kheny into the Congress, Mr. Chetan said this would only damage the party’s prospectus in upcoming Assembly elections. “Though I am not a member of any organised political party, in my opinion all the major parties in the State are pro-corporate and pro-industrialists. But the BJP has turned out to be worse than the Congress and the JD(S),” he added.
The actor appealed to voters to support candidates who have concern for the downtrodden, farmers and poor sections and are committed to the overall development of society irrespective of party lines.
On the minority religion tag issue for Lingayat, he said the ball is now in the Centre’s court, with the State Cabinet passing the move. He urged the State government to press the Centre to give its approval.
