Sumalatha lays onus on youth to protect tourist, religious places

Mandya: Actor-turned-politician Sumalatha participated in a public programme — her first after being elected as Mandya MP — at Keelara village of Mandya talk on Tuesday.
Speaking at Swaccha Meva Jayate programme, Sumalatha said she was happy that her first-ever event pertains to cleanliness. “We are all duty-bound to protect Mother Earth. We keep talking about having good roads and drainage system, but not on conserving water and ecology. Unfortunately, the people in north Karnataka walk long distances to fetch a pot of water. We will also face such crisis if we don’t take care of ecology and conserve water,” Sumalatha cautioned.
Expressing her displeasure over spoiling the serenity and sanctity of tourist and religious places, “and government not doing anything to prevent it”, Sumalatha laid the onus on youth to protect such places. “No one can outpower youth, and it’s time they go out and protect our monuments and rich heritage,” she added.
In a lighter vein, Sumalatha told mediapersons not to expect any controversial statements from her. “I don’t give such statements at all,” she said.
When asked about chief minister H D Kumaraswamy’s village-stay programme, Sumalatha said it is the chief minister’s idea and he would continue the same.
When asked about complaints that she is inaccessible to the people of Mandya and that she does not answer their phone calls, Sumalatha rejected the claims. “One cannot expect me here when I’m away in Delhi,” she said, adding that she will hear the grievances of Mandya people thrice a week.
When asked about the absence of district minister C S Puttaraju at the programme, Sumalatha suggested reporters that they ask only him about it. She also evaded questions pertaining to the alleged non-cooperation of elected representatives from JD(S) and DC N Manjushree, whose absence at the programme was conspicuous.
Manjushree was taken off poll duty after Sumalatha alleged nepotism against her in the run-up Lok Sabha elections.