Mangaluru: The Congress is sowing seeds of hatred among the Billawas by demanding that the Mangaluru International Airport be renamed after Koti-CHennaya, the legendary twin heroes from Tulunadu, said BJP District President Sudharshan Moodbidri.
Addressing the media at the BJP office hall, he accused the Congress of trying to appease the Billawa community.
“The Billavas know how the Congress made use of their community leaders,” he said.
He then pointed out that the party remained quiet when in the past, Koti-Chennaya’s mother Deyi Baidethi was humiliated on social media.
“The Congress’ ongoing agitation holds no water as its own MLA, U T Khader is demanding that the MIA be named after Rani Abbakka. Another Congress leader is demanding that the airport be named after U Srinivas Mallya. It looks they are not united in their demand,” he said, adding that MP Nalin Kumar Kateel is actively urging the Union government to rename the airport after the legendary twins.
Speaking about the removal of the Dakshina Kannada cultural art from the airport, Sudharshan said that the matter will looked into by MP Kateel, who will also see if they can be restored.
Regarding the Congress’ objection to the adding of the Adani Group’s name to the airport name, he said that the airport’s name has remained “Mangaluru International Airport” and that only the name of the “Airports Authority of India” has been replaced by “Adani Airports” after the latter took over the operations and maintenance of the same.
“The Congress is crying foul over the privatisation of the Mangaluru airport when it was the Congress-led government that privatised operations of the airports in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru,” Susharshan added.
Meanwhile, to a query about the soaring prices of sand in the Dakshina Kannada district, he said that licences to extract sand will be issued shortly, which will bring down the prices to Rs 2,000 per lorry load, as stated by MP Kateel.
He further said that the MP will speak to the Indian Railways about renaming the Jokatte Railway Station after late Vishwesha Thirtha Swami of the Udupi Pejawar Mutt.
“The State government will sanction grants for the Narayana Guru Chair set up at Mangalore University,” he added.
