All India Congress Committee president M. Mallikarjuna Kharge on Saturday, February 17, chided the beneficiaries of land reform laws who became owners from tenants for not remembering the Congress’ role in their empowerment in the coastal belt.
Addressing a State-level convention of party leaders and its elected representatives here, Mr. Kharge said, “Those who benefited from us have forgotten the same and are roaming around holding Bhagava Dhwaja (saffron flag) in the coastal belt.” While Late Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister and Late Devraj Urs as the Karnataka Chief Minister made lakhs of tenants the owners of lands they were tilling, Sonia Gandhi introduced food security scheme.
The Congress, Mr. Kharge said, had established not one, but up to four land tribunals in each taluk of coastal Karnataka for the speedy disposal of tenancy cases. Because of these moves, lakhs of people got ownership of lands they were cultivating, he said and regretted many of them were now criticising the Congress.
Some parties have divided these categories (largely from backward classes) for their political gain, Mr. Kharge said and asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave them the land or food. It was Congress MP Late Srinivas Mallya who went to different Union ministries with files of undivided Dakshina Kannada and got many bridges, the New Mangalore Port, and the airport. The Congress heralded the overall development of the coastal region, Mr. Kharge said.
While Mr. Modi failed to fulfil the promises of generating two crore employment every year and depositing ₹15 lakh from stashed black money in everyone’s bank accounts, the Congress government in Karnataka has fulfilled all the five poll promises. “We do what we promise,” he said.
Mr. Kharge said the Congress has nurtured leaders from backward classes, including former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily and former Union Minister B. Janardhana Poojary. Leaders like Mr. Moily and Mr. Poojary gave tremedous contribution towards the upliftment of the oppressed classes, the AICC president said.
