'Operation Hand' to retaliate 'Operation Lotus': Moily

Mangalore, Aug 31 (UNI) In a counter to 'Operation Lotus' launched by the ruling BJP in Karnataka, Congress will launch 'Operation Hand', senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Veerappa Moily said today.

Mr Moily, who is also the AICC Media Cell Chairman, said ''to retaliate the 'Operation Lotus' of the BJP to rope in leaders from other parties, particularly from the Congress, the Congress is also preparing to launch ''Operation Hand' in the state.

Addressing district party workers here, he said that the party was all set to retaliate the BJP with the same coin through'Operation Hand'. However, he declined to spell out the details.

To purify the 'stagnated water' there is an urgent need for flow of fresh water into the party, he said.

The youths in the party should be given opportunity and prominence to play active roles in politics and they should be attracted towards the party to strengthen it further, he added.

Senior Congress leader B Janardhan Poojary, taking strong exception to primary and secondary Education minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri's statement said the minister should not take any disciplinary action against Christian educational institution for closing the institutions on August 29 to protest the killing of innocent people of Christian community in Orissa.

''The brutal violence by the Sangh Parivar on Christians could not be tolerated.'',, he said.

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