KALABURAGI: Cooperation Minister of Karnataka Bandeppa Kashempur has defended the re-launch of ‘Grama Vastavya’ by Chief Minister Kumaraswamy. The JDS leader told The New Indian Express on Wednesday that BJP leaders and others were opposing the village stay programme without knowing its significance. “When there is no election around, how could the programme be a gimmick?” he asked.
“Grama Vastavya reflects the true meaning of democracy. Kumaraswamy, during the first edition of the village stay programme, went around the villages, solving the local problems on the spot. Can critics recall any other chief minister who approached the common people, except during the poll campaign ?” Bandeppa Kashempur asked.
“Concept of Suvarna Grama Yojane was born during Kumaraswamy’s stay in Mannur village of Afzalpur taluk in 2006,” he said.“I and other leaders of Hyderabad-Karnataka region put pressure on the CM to launch the programme from this region,” he added.
According to sources in the state government, Kumaraswamy is expected to stay in a village of Gurmitkal taluk of Yadgir district on June 21, in Herur or Atanoor village of Afzalpur taluk on June 22 and in Ujalam village of Basavakalyan taluk on June 28.