Mangaluru : MLA U T Khader said that the recent incident of assault on those who tried to prevent illegal transportation of cattle in Shivamogga and video of Home Minister Araga Jnanendra slamming the police for being corrupt has proved that cattle theft and illegal transportation of cattle has increased during the BJP-rule in Karnataka.

Whether Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020 was introduced just for publicity? he sought to know during a press meet in Mangaluru. When there are so many factories exporting beef in the state, then it is natural to transport cattle. Why did the government fail to close it down, he asked. Kerala and Goa have no issues like cattle theft and illegal transportation of cattle.

On the recent untoward incidents in the Dakshina Kannada district, he said the elected representatives and religious leaders should give priority to communal harmony and brotherhood in the society. The police should act sternly against those anti-social elements who try to disrupt peace in society.

“A few are trying to issue provocative statements and post derogatory statements on the social media in the district, for self-gain. The government should take stern action against such provocative statements, to prevent anti-social elements from raising their heads again in the district,” said the former minister.

On State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel inviting all the Congress leaders except U T Khader to join BJP, Khader said that “Kateel was Congress worker in the past during his younger days. I want to invite all BJP leaders to join the Congress to remain happy. Those who desert Congress to join the BJP should read the history first.”

Stating that the BJP is against decentralisation of power, the MLA said that the BJP is against decentralisation of power and a three-tier panchayat raj system.

The voters during the Legislative Council election from local bodies constituency should send a warning to the government while exercising their franchise, that any effort to snatch away the rights of the gram panchayat members will not be tolerated. The funds from the Finance Commission released to GPs are deducted by the state government.

Even after several months, the government failed to conduct Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections. Now, during the MLC election, they are promising to hold the election in January. Is it possible to hold the election when the government is yet to issue rules and regulations to the newly created delimitation commission to redraw panchayat boundaries, Khader asked.

Further, he said the government is also looking at the scrapping of taluk panchayats. Taluk panchayat has 22 departments. Is it possible for an MLA to handle all these departments without an elected body in the taluk panchayat, he sought to know.