Media persons grill SHS chief over MSEZ issue

Mangalore, March 3: A heated debate sparked between media persons and Bajpe-Permude-Kalavaru Samyukth Hitharakshana Samithi (SHS) President Bhujanga Shetty on Thursday, when the latter held a press meet at the city's Press Club to clarify his stance on the issue of project displaced families of Mangalore Special Economic Zone.

The development came as hundreds of youth, belonging to MSEZ affected families, who have already completed training and those who are being trained at the Karnataka Polytechnic are staging an indefinite hunger strike seeking the fulfillment of the promise of providing job to them.

Although SHS was formed to represent the project displaced families, its leaders are now accused of sidelining the interest of the MSEZ victims and developing clandestine understanding with the MSEZ.

Media persons grilled Shetty for over an hour questioning the genuineness and transparency of the SHS, which initially led the fight for job of displaced family youths.

However, reassuring the honesty of his Samithi in fighting for the cause of youth cheated by the MSEZ, Shetty said 87 youth have already been placed with various jobs among 355 job applicants who completed their training, and the struggle will continue until MSEZ officials fulfill their promise.

To a query about whether he visited the youth, who are staging hunger strike in front of DC Office from since March 1, he gave an evasive reply that SHS will not violate law and hold a legal protest if the upcoming crucial meeting, was stalled without making any headway. “The a meeting of project displaced would be held at Mangalore a couple of days after both Assembly and Parliament session end, along with MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and other representatives to discuss the issue thoroughly and arrive at solutions” he said.

He also agreed that Kateel and Palemar had directed him to refrain from the protest.

When asked why he and his Samithi had kept mum on the issue of Gregory Patrao, whose land had been acquired after demolishing standing crops, Shetty said “Gregory Patrao himself walked out of our Samithi and did not want our support.”

However, he said that he would represent the displaced families though they do not want his representation.

Rubbishing the allegation that he was benefited by the MSEZ, Mr Shetty said he is struggling for the victims of MSEZ and it will continue until displaced families get justice.

Sharathchandra Shetty, Jayanth Salian and others were present.