'Chanting Hindutva mantra will not take BJP far'

MANGALORE: BJP's hollow talk on the Centre's alleged step motherly treatment towards the state and its chanting the Hindutva mantra will not takethe saffron party far, KPCC president R V Desphande said here on Sunday. "Even I am a Hindu and am proud to be one," he said adding that the BJP's culture of alienating communities based on their religion is not only dangerous, but an insult to Hindu culture of universal brotherhood, he noted. In an informal chat with The Times of India, Deshpande said even if one took the BJP's allegation about step motherly treatment meted out to it by the Centre on its face value, the Yeddyurappa government has a lot of explaining to do about its failure to utilize Rs 26,000 crore plan size allocated. "The state as on March 31 has spent only Rs 16,000 crore and its inability to utilize the full amount for infrastructure is inexcusable," he said. Referring to Yeddyurappa's own admission during the Belgaum legislature session that the state's GDP has declined to 5.5 per cent from 11 per cent, he dared the CM to explain this development. Even survey reports have indicated that the prevalent corruption and lack of infrastructure in the state is not bringing in the desired level of investment, he said. Deshpande also questioned the noises being made by the state government on a move by the Centre directing the Survey of India to carry out a survey of the mining areas bordering Andhra Pradesh. Reminding the CM that he himself had sought such a probe, Deshpande said the state government's present reaction is borne out of fear that a survey of Obalapuram mining areas will expose the state government and the Reddy brothers. Concurring with views of former chief minister S M Krishna blaming the EC for faulty electors rolls affecting voter turn out, Deshpande went a step further alleging that the state government has used officers involved in the process to leave out names of people sympathetic to the Congress from the rolls. "They have sought and obtained the help of few Karnataka officers to doctor the electoral rolls to suit their convenience," he said.