“It is unfortunate that only the lies uttered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders are being highlighted in the media, while the good work done by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is being ignored,” district in-charge minister Ramesh Jarkiholi said in Belagavi on Tuesday.
“Media houses need to engage in serious introspection,” he told presspersons after hoisting the national flag. He said that false promises, fake achievements and hate speech by BJP leaders filled the pages of newspapers and TV screens, while good news like the achievements of States including Karnataka was sidelined. “Mr Siddaramaiah is leading a battle to end hunger and is taking up several welfare programmes. The media, sadly, is not showcasing such positive steps to the world.’’
The Minister asked officials to remove encroachments in the city, without fear or favour.
Earlier, he recalled the sacrifice of freedom fighters like Kittur Channamma and Sangolli Rayanna and the contribution of Gandhian Gangadhar Rao Deshpande, credited with introducing khadi and village industries to the district.
Development works
Mr. Jarkiholi said that sowing in four of the 10 taluks was affected due to rainfall scarcity. He hoped it would rain in the coming months and farming activities would pick up. Belagavi, home to the Hudli khadi gramodyoga sangha that Gandhiji visited, will get its own Khadi Plaza, with central assistance. Land acquisition for a 848-acre industrial area in Kanagala village is nearly complete. A new textile park with 217 sites on 75 acres will come up at Borgaon in Chikkodi taluk. A government tool room and training centre sub-centre will be started in Chikkodi. Training will start from this year, he said.
The main attraction of the day was the march-past by the CRPF Cobra Commandos. Other units included ITBP, KSRP, district armed reserve, NCC, Home Guards, Scouts and Guides, Seva Dal and the inmates of the Maheshwari school for the blind.
Freedom fighters Somalingappa Mulagavi of Hudli, Gangappa Malagi, Pavadappa Golbavi, and Gangadhar Kamat, all from Belagavi, were felicitated.
Mr. Jarkiholi handed over laptops to meritorious students Snehal Kanabaragi, Pooja Abbar, Sneha Ambadgatti and Chandan Malagoudar.
Deputy Commissioner S. Jiaullah, Police Commissioner T.G Krishna Bhat, Superintendent of Police Ravikanthe Gowda, MPs, MLAs, MLCs and others were present.
