Vijayapura: Former home minister M B Patil on Friday, criticized a section of the media for giving undue importance to the drug menace in Bollywood and Rhea Chakraborty instead of highlighting crucial issues such as the increasing unemployment, sharply declining GDP, the economic condition of the country and Covid pandemic.
Addressing the media on Friday, he said that though the drug issue is indeed important and the police are handling the matter, there are more critical issues that should be raised and discussed by the media.
“I think we are losing our focus on important issues. While the world is talking of a sinking economy and the Covid pandemic, here, some media channels are focusing only on Rhea Chakraborty, Ragini Dwivedi, and drugs in the film industry. We must understand that, because of the Covid pandemic, millions of people have lost their jobs, the business community is in dismay and the economy has fallen to the bottom. These should be our primary matters of discussion,” he said.
To a query about whether deliberate attempts are being made to divert the public’s attention from the real issues, Patil replied by blaming the media for their role.
“We must display a sense of maturity by raising important issues pertaining to the common people,” he said.
Accusing the Union Government of not coming forward to help the flood victims of the state, Patil said that last year, when the Karnataka Government estimated a loss of Rs 35,000 crore, the former offered nothing.
“This year also, the situation is the same. We have received no funds from the Centre as flood relief,” he said.
Admitting that raising the height of the Almatti dam to 524 metres from the current 519 metres would take time as the Union Government is yet to issue a gazette notification in this regard, he expressed happiness for using the dam to fill up the tanks in the district to help the farming community.
He hoped that the present BJP government will give adequate funds for the irrigation projects.
MLA Devanand Chavan, former MLA Vithal Katakadonda, and other leaders were present.
