Udupi (The Hindu): H.D. Kumraswamy, former Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular), said on Sunday that the increase in communal tensions in the coastal districts was due to politics of religion being played two major national political parties in the region.
Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Kumaraswamy said that both the national parties were misusing religion for their own political ends. As a result, the law and order situation in the coastal districts could only be described as bad.
“One feels that the law and order machinery has become ineffective in the coastal districts,” he said.
Silver lining
He said that the only silver lining as far as Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts were concerned was that they were not touched by the agrarian crisis which had affected rest of the State. In spite of this, the government had failed to promote development here.
Besides communal tensions, there had been a couple of deaths related to real estate in the region. “It is necessary to create jobs for the youth in the coastal region,” he said.
To another question, he said that the JD(S) will not align with either the Congress or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Zilla and Taluk Panchayat elections expected early next year. “But post-poll arrangements will be decided by local leaders if some bodies threw up hung houses,” he said.
Admitting that the JD(S) was weak in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, Mr. Kumaraswamy said that efforts would be made to strengthen the party.
Dakshath Shetty, President of district unit of JD(S), was present
