MLA Vedavyasa Kamat denies his involment in the inauguration of Jeppu enclave

MLA Vedavyasa Kamat denies his involment in the inauguration of Jeppu enclave

mangaloretoday.com

Mangaluru, February 18, 2025: Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyasa Kamath clarified on Monday that he participated in the inauguration of the Jeepu enclave on February 9 at the invitation of the Dakshina Kannada district administration.

Addressing the media, Mr. Kamath denied the allegation made by District In-Charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who claimed the inauguration was done at the MLA’s request. Mr. Kamath explained that he, along with local councillor and former Mayor Premanand Shetty, had worked on the development of the enclave. The project included a new Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) building, eight flats for Mangaluru City Corporation staff, a new veterinary hospital, and a bus bay.

Mr. Kamath confirmed that he was invited by the district administration to attend the inauguration on February 9. The invitation listed U.T. Khader, Speaker, Dinesh Gundu Rao, District In-Charge Minister K. Venkatesh, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Sericulture, and Ivan D’Souza, MLC. The Mayor, Manoj Kumar, officially inaugurated the enclave in the presence of Mr. Kamath and MP Captain Brijesh Chowta. Minister Rao, however, did not attend the event.

Mr. Kamath criticized Minister Rao for instead of investigating why he was left out of the loop regarding the February 9 inauguration, he set a negative precedent by closing the UPHC and sending patients away, only to reopen and inaugurate it again on February 15. He argued that the Health Minister’s actions were a result of mistakes made by senior officials, while contract workers were being unfairly blamed for keeping the Minister uninformed about the first inauguration.

The MLA also expressed that the district administration had invited him for the second inauguration at the last minute, seemingly to prevent his attendance on February 15. He also criticized the display of Congress party banners outside the enclave on that day.

Meanwhile, at a Karnataka Development Programme Review Committee meeting on Monday, Minister Rao claimed that no one had informed him about the February 9 inauguration.

During a heated exchange over the incident, Mr. Rao told the MLA that there was no need for such "high drama" over the matter.