Cracks in coalition as Sait seeks probe into Dasara ‘irregularities’

Mysuru: The first signs of cracks in the JD(S)-Congress coalition have appeared as the Congress has accused the JD(S) of sidelining it in the recently held Dasara celebrations.
None too pleased with the JD(S) leaders sidelining the Congress leaders during Dasara, Narasimharaja MLA and former minister Tanveer Sait on Saturday said, “District minister G T Devegowda and the district administration sidelined the Congress party during Dasara. The festivities were badly organised and none of the Congress leaders were included in any committee. An inquiry should be conducted to probe the irregularities that occurred during Dasara.”

“Though we were upset with the treatment meted out to us, we did not create any hurdles in the celebrations as we respect Goddess Chamundeshwari,” said Sait.

Rapping officials for colluding with the JD(S) in sidelining the Congress party, he said, “Officials joined hands with the JD(S) and conducted the Dasara festivities according to their whims and fancies. We will not take the arrogance of the officials lightly.”

Accusing the JD(S) of damaging the culture and spirit of Dasara, he said, “The credit of conducting the highly disorganised Dasara goes to the JD(S). They destroyed the culture and spirit of Dasara in an organised manner.”

They did not form any committee to overlook the arrangements for various cultural events. People who had bought passes by paying money did not get seats in the Jamboo Savari and Torch Light Parade. There was total chaos,” he said.

“Just because we are part of the coalition, it does not mean we will take this injustice lying down,” he said.

Taking a dig at the JD(S) for involving family members in Dasara festivities, he said, “This was a Dasara held for the families of JD(S) leaders. Father, son, grandson, great-grandson were all that mattered, not the people.”

Asserting that a probe will be initiated against the district administration, he said, “Apart from sidelining the Congress, protocols were not followed either. District minister G T Devegowda took 10,000 passes, tourism minister S R Mahesh took 5,000 passes and chief minister H D Kumaraswamy took 2,000 passes. Many of these passes were sold and there is no account for these passes.”

The district administration was completely submissive to the JD(S) and went out of its way to work for the party, Sait said.

“Whenever the BJP or the Congress was in power, the passes and invites were distributed to all parties irrespective of their political ideologies. However, that is not the case with the JD(S),” said former Krishnaraja MLA M K Somashekhar.

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‘Police failed to provide security to women’

“There were reports of women being harassed at the Open Street Festival and police brutality was witnessed when they lathicharged women at Yuva Dasara and dragged a journalist by his collar at KR Circle on the day of Jamboo Savari which shows their high-handedness. Police failed to provide security to women, which is condemnable,” Tanveer Sait said.