With communal harmony panel, development boards, Congress 10-point plan for coastal Karnataka

The Karavali Development Authority, says the Congress, will have an annual budget outlay of Rs 2,500 crore, with an objective to “create employment, investment, tourism and harmonious growth”. This is along the lines of various development authorities announced by the BJP government in the last three years to woo voters, such as the Karnataka Veerashaiva Lingayat Corporation and Karnataka Vokkaliga Community Development Corporation, announced in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

Another interesting announcement in the charter was the “Shree Swami Vivekananda Communal and Social Harmony Committee” in every gram panchayat. These committees will receive appropriate grants for plans to ensure communal harmony in these districts. Both Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are hotbeds of communal violence in Karnataka, and such cases have thrown life out of gear, especially ahead of elections in the region. More recently, the hijab issue that rocked the country had its origins in the Udupi district.

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Siddaramaiah of the Congress, said the BJP was not interested in the welfare of Hindus. “They are only for Hindutva.” He accused the BJP of triggering unrest in the name of the Hindu religion. Over the years, many people have been killed in the coastal region due to communal strife. But all of them hailed from backward communities, the former CM told a rally held at Mangaluru on Sunday.

AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala too accused the saffron party of turning the coastal districts into a ‘factory of communalism’. “When we speak about inflation, BJP talks about Hindus and Muslims,” he said.

The Congress has also made some assurances to woo the Mogaveeras — the fishermen community, and the Bunts — an OBC community, both of whom have shifted their political allegiances to the BJP in recent years. For the Mogaveeras, who wield significant political influence in the coastal districts, Congress has assured insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh for every fishermen, interest-free loan of Rs 1 lakh for fisherwomen, subsidy of upto Rs 25 lakh to buy fishing boats, increased subsidy on diesel and dredging of the Malpe, Gangolli and Mangalore Fisheries harbours, within six months of the formation of a Congress government in the state.

For the Bunts, a Development Board with an annual outlay of Rs 250 crore has been promised. Other assurances include a Shree Narayana Guru Development Board with an annual outlay of Rs 250 crore, restoration and increase in the budget for the minority welfare department, Rs 50 crore to address problems of areca nut growers, among others.

The Congress currently has only one MLA — U T Khader — out of the eight seats in the Dakshina Kannada district, and none in the five seats in Udupi.