Kumaraswamy asks Cong. leaders to stay with him in villages

Bangalore, May 15 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today challenged the Opposition Congress leaders to stay with him in villages and study the problems of the people, instead of engaging themselves in criticising his administration.

He told newspersons here that within 15 months he had toured extensively in the state except three districts.

He said wherever he went he had discussed the problems of the people and made sincere efforts to resolve them. Congress leaders, who had 'rich experience' in running the administration should accompany him.

He said he was ready to provide all necessary facilities for their stay in villages.

Referring to the 'charge sheet' submitted by the Congress to Governor T N Chaturvedi yesterday, in which the leaders had explained about the draught situation in the state, he said Congress was facing 'political draught' and only the people of Karnataka could tackle it.

He said he was not helpless as alleged by Congress leaders but was discussing seriously the state of helplessness felt by the people during the rule of those leaders who ruled the state for over 50 years.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister held a meeting of leaders from Kodagu district with regard to encroachment of the forest lands and said a meeting of forest and revenue department would be convened tomorrow to discuss the issue.

He said he will write to the Centre to amend the existing Act to prevent largescale encroachment of forest lands.

On the Karnataka Open University controversy, he clarified that he had never rebuked Vice-Chancellor Sudha Rao. Instead, he had told her to solve the problems of the daily wage workers, on humanitarian consideration, he said.

UNI