My autobiography may create controversy and cause pain to some people: Poojary

Mangaluru, Jan 22: Former Union Minister B Janardhana Poojary’s much-awaited autobiography is all set for release here on Friday, January 26.
 
Announcing this at a press conference here on Monday, Mr. Poojary said the ‘facts’ and incidents referred to in the book might create controversy and cause pain to some people. The book will be released at the Kudroli Gokarnanateshwara temple on Friday evening.
 
The 81-year-old Mr. Poojary said the book, titled Saala Melada Sangrama (Fight for Loan Mela) has a lot of information about his childhood, studies and his practice as an advocate. The book has details on the attacks on his life in Andhra Pradesh and in Uppinangady (in Dakshina Kannada) during loan melas held across the country when he was the Union Minister of State for Finance.
 
Mr. Poojary said he has narrated circumstances leading to the split of the then Congress (ruling) party headed by Indira Gandhi to Congress (U) headed by Devaraj Urs in 1969. The 210-page autobiography, which has nine chapters, has many rare photographs and details of Mr. Poojary’s conversations with the late Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and P.V. Narasimha Rao.
 
Asked about Congress leader M. Veerappa Moily, Mr. Poojary said his book does have incidents related to Mr. Moily and a lot of details about Mr. Moily’s wife. “I remember making a mention about Harsha Moily (Mr. Moily son),” he said.
 
When asked about district in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai, he said: “Yes, there is one photograph of him in my book.”
 
He said he has also recorded the “conspiracy” by his own partymen that led to his defeats in the 2009 and 2014 Parliamentary elections. “I have narrated the true facts that might pain a few. There might be controversy too,” he said, and added it was just a coincidence that his autobiography was being released a few weeks before the Assembly elections in the State.
 
He said the book was written by journalist Lakshman Kodse based on what he himself had narrated. “Some details, which are missing, will be included in the revised edition that will be released later,” he said.
 
Mr. Poojary’s sons Santosh Kumar and Deepak Kumar Poojary, have published the autobiography.
 
The Congress leader said apart from releasing the book in Kannada, they plan to release its Hindi and English versions as well on the same day. He also plans to personally meet top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and hand over copies of the book.