President of Karnatak Vidyavardhak Sangh Patil Puttappa, who has been leading the campaign against the conversion of a playground at Deshpande Nagar in Hubballi into a sports and recreation club, has now written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to save the playground, and to ‘brighten up’ the party image
In the last one year, despite health problems, the nonagenarian has taken part in protests, organised by the Hubballi Sports Ground Bachao Samiti, against the conversion of the playground into a club.
In his letter to the Prime Minister, which has been released to the media, Mr. Puttappa has pointed out that Bharatiya Janata Party State president Pralhad Joshi and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar were associated with the Karnataka Gymkhana Association (KGA), which is constructing the club on the playground, and there have been several protests staged against them.
Mr. Puttappa has said the seven-acre playground in the heart of Hubballi city was granted to the KGA by the erstwhile British government for holding sports activities. However, when the BJP was in power in the State, the KGA started constructing a recreation club for a few members (not more than 400). Going against the purpose for which the playground was allotted, the KGA was building a bar and restaurant, spa, massage parlour and other recreational activities, and restricting the entry of the public, he has said in the letter.
Mr. Puttappa has listed out the educational institutions, hospital, temples and the community hall ‘Gujarat Bhavan’ that are located close to the club, and has pointed out that a local civil court has already passed ad-interim injunction prohibiting the club from conducting any illegal activities.
He said he was bringing the issue to the Prime Minister’s notice because, barring intervention by the judiciary, there had been no tangible results despite repeated representations to officials, the district in charge Minister and the Chief Minister.
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Mr. Puttappa has urged the Prime Minister to either initiate action or issue necessary guidelines to persons holding the respective offices. “The so-called servants of society, either MLA or MP, require not only to be discouraged, but to be dealt with severe punishment and retribution. Otherwise the public will get a wrong message. It is high time that persons at the helm of affairs behave in such a way that there is no scope for unnecessary suspicion and doubts,” he said in the letter.
It is high time that persons at the helm of affairs behave in such a way that there is no scope for unnecessary suspicion and doubts
