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TUMAKURU: Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna, who is a staunch supporter of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Wednesday alleged that the Congress high command recently showed its anti-SC/ST stand by directing Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara not to hold a meeting of legislators from these communities.
Dr Parameshwara wanted to hold the meeting on Wednesday evening to take SC/ST legislators, MPs and leaders into confidence on certain issues, including leadership. But AICC general secretary (in-charge of Karnataka) Randeep Singh Surjewala directed Dr Parameshwara not to go ahead with the meeting. Dr Parameshwara had to “postpone” it.
Defending Dr Parameshwara, Rajanna attacked the party high command. He also slammed Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, KPCC president, for allegedly getting Dr Parameshwara toe the line of party high command.
Jarkiholi dinner meet led to confusion: Min
Rajanna said, “Schoolchildren belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are not getting scholarships. Those who have taken seats under the management quota (in colleges) are not being given admission in hostels. The meeting was called to discuss these issues. Are they (high command) against the SCs and STs?”
“Giving a political colour to the meeting called to discuss issues faced by SC/ST students and objecting to it is nothing but doing injustice to these communities,” he said.
The recent dinner meeting hosted by Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi in Belagavi led to confusion in the party. Considering this, the high command sought to postpone the meeting called by Dr Parameshwara as it did not want any confusion in the party. Hence, the meeting has been postponed and not cancelled, he said.
He said just before or after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s cabinet meeting in MM Hills on February 13, the meeting of SC/ST legislators and MPs will be held.