Addressing media persons here, Mr Poojary said that the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) had taken a decision to implement the 'Anna Bhagya Yojana' after obtaining permission from party president Sonia Gandhi, and that it was not right on the part of Mr Patil to have made such remarks.
“It is our duty to help the poor and wipe their tears. But now, I have realised that he (Mr Patil) is not concerned about the poor. Being a cabinet minister, he should not have opposed the scheme. It is a clear breach of discipline,” he remarked, adding that members of the opposition party who were disgruntled with the success of the scheme would challenge it in the future, quoting Mr Patil's remarks as example.
People voted for him because they believed the manifesto presented by the party, including the 'rice at Re 1 per kg' scheme. He should tender an apology to the party by Friday, failing which he should resign from his post, said Mr Poojary, adding that it was a serious issue.
He further said that it was the responsibility of all the party members and workers to see to it that the rice reached the beneficiaries of the scheme. All party members including the MLAs should become watchdogs in its implementation, to avoid causing trouble to the people. This will help check corruption or misuse of the scheme, he said.
Amendments necessary
Coming down heavily on BJP for its opposition to recent amendments to the Karnataka Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill 2013, he said that the Constitution made it mandatory for the Gram Sabha to conduct meetings, and opposing the bill would be a failure of 'governance by the people' in a democracy.
How will the country run if the gram sabhas and legislature cease to work or exist, he demanded.
Harikrishna Bantwal, K Taranath Shetty, Arun Coelho and Suresh Ballal were present.
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