Kannada actor Ramya has assured to help rehabilitate the evacuees of EWS quarters in Ejipura in the city if the Congress comes to power in the State.
“I think the process of rehabilitation of these slum dwellers is extremely important and if the party wins, I will help address the issue”, Ms. Ramya told The Hindu on Wednesday, before embarking upon a campaign in Shantinagar Assembly Constituency, under which Ejipura is located. She added that she would take the help of the concerned MLA in the matter.
More than 1,200 families were evicted from EWS quarters spread across more than 15 acres at Ejipura in January this year to facilitate he BBMP take up construction of a residential complex and a mall with a private company. Several forced evacuees still live on footpaths in the vicinity of the erstwhile shanty town.
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Ms .Ramya also regretted that many parts of the City did not have basic amenities. “There are many areas without basic necessities and we hope to set them right if the party comes to power”.
Ms. Ramya, earlier addressing a press conference, said she had entered politics as she felt it was worthwhile to act on the problems faced by the people instead of complaining about them.
Though she clarified that she had not sought the party nomination to contest the Assembly polls, the actor did not rule out entering poll fray in the future.
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“If the opportunity comes, I would like to get involved”, she said when asked whether she would contest elections in future.
She said that her involvement in politics was influenced by her family members, who were active in the field. “I think anyone who enters politics must enter it wholeheartedly. Unless they are serious about it, they shouldn’t join. Being an actor does not set me apart,” she said.
The actor said that she was presently content with her role as the Youth Congress leader and added that she did not want to take on more responsibility as she also had to give time to her films also. “I don’t want that much power. There are other leaders in the party who are experienced and therefore will do a better job than me,” she added.
She said she was campaigning for the Congress as it propagated secularism and elevated the women and children in society.