BALLARI: With the state government declaring that Hampi Utsav will be cancelled this year because of drought, mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy said the event should be held “at any cost” and he is ready to bear the “entire expenses”.
Reddy, who is out on bail after his arrest over his alleged links to Ambidant fraud case took to social media saying, “The government which conducts (other) events across the state has been giving flimsy reasons regarding Hampi Utsav. Hampi Utsav is a pride of India.”
“The state government’s refusal to conduct the event has disheartened the people of Karnataka and North Karnataka in particular,” he said. Alleging that the “neglect” of Hampi is a “systematic plan” of the government and a few politicians who intend to “insult” the people of Ballari and the rest of North Karnataka, he said, “Did the people who illegally spent truckloads of money for Lok Sabha by-elections (November 3) not see the drought then?.”
Pointing out Molakalmuru MLA B Sriramulu’s request to the ruling JD(S)-Congress coalition to help farmers instead of conducting a thanksgiving ceremony, the mining baron sought to know if the “heavy budget” programme was necessary.