BJP district chief says Billavas will not fall for Congress plan

November 20, 2020 12:45 am | Updated 07:58 am IST - MANGALURU

BJP district president Sudarshan Moodbidri (second from right) speaking at a press conference in Mangaluru. File

BJP district president Sudarshan Moodbidri (second from right) speaking at a press conference in Mangaluru. File

By demanding re-naming the international airport here after Koti Chennaya — revered twin heroes of Tulu tradition, the Congress is sowing the seed of hatred among Billavas, said BJP district president Sudhershan Moodbidri here on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Moodbidri said that by raking up the issue of re-naming the airport after Koti Chennaya, the Congress is trying to appease the Billava community.

“Billavas know how the Congress has made use of the leaders of that community. People of the community will not fall for this Congress plan through an ongoing agitation,” he said.

Mr. Moodbidri said that the Congress failed to speak a word when Deyi Baidethi, mother of the revered twins, was humiliated in the social media in the past. The ongoing agitation by the Congress does not hold water as its own MLA has demanded re-naming the airport after Rani Abbakka. Another Congress leader is demanding re-naming the airport after U. Srinivas Mallya. “There is no unanimity in their demand,” he said.

The BJP district chief said that Koti Chennaya are revered in society and they should not be confined to the community they belonged to. Dakshina Kannada MP and State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel is actively pursuing with the Union government to re-name the airport after Koti Chennaya.

Mr. Kateel will look into the matter of the airport authorities removing some murals related to Dakshina Kannada culture installed at the terminal building recently, he said and added that the MP will examine whether they can be restored.

The airport, he said, still remained as Mangaluru International Airport and only the name of the Airports Authority of India has been replaced with Adani Airports after the latter took over the operations and maintenance of the airport recently. The Congress is crying hoarse over privatisation of Mangaluru airport when it was the Congress-led government that privatised operations of airports in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Asked about the soaring price of sand in Dakshina Kannada, Mr. Moodbidri said that licence will be issued shortly for extraction of sand and this will bring down the price to ₹ 2,000 per lorry load as stated by Mr. Kateel.

The MP will pursue with Indian Railways about re-naming the Jokatte Railway Station after late Vishwesha Thirtha Swami of Udupi Pejawar Mutt. The State government will give grants for the Narayana Guru Chair set up at Mangalore University, he said.

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