BELAGAVI: Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Monday said he conveyed his concerns to KPCC president and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on suspending minority leaders from the party. He asserted that sidelining these leaders during elections or organisational restructuring was not right.
He told reporters on Monday that the issue was discussed at length during his recent meeting with Shivakumar in Bengaluru. “I told him that keeping minority leaders away from the party or pushing them aside during elections or organisational exercises is not appropriate. He acknowledged the lapses and said the shortcomings would be corrected in the coming days,” he said.
On his meeting with Shivakumar, Jarkiholi said there was no political significance to the interaction. “It was only a courtesy visit. It is natural to meet and discuss party organisation and government work,” he said.
On Enforcement Directorate raids on the residences of MLA NA Haris’ two sons -- Mohammed Haris Nalapad and Omar Farook Nalapad, Jarkiholi said he had no specific information.
“Such developments do occur. If raids have taken place, the matter should be addressed through legal means,” he noted. On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation following the failure of Women’s Reservation Bill, he said the government could have implemented the reservation soon after coming to power if it had the genuine intent. “Linking the implementation to delimitation and census made the process conditional.
This linkage itself led to the bill’s defeat. Whatever speech the Prime Minister makes, people now understand the intent behind it. The message has reached that it was merely an election gimmick,” he said.