Tight security as Udupi Kambala track work begins amid row

Udupi: With BJP and Congress trading charges over the event date and permissions, the Udupi administration laid the foundation stone for Kambala track construction under prohibitory orders at Bairanje on Saturday. The Udupi Kambala is scheduled for April 25.Udupi DC Swaroopa TK imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of BNSS to prevent clashes, and the ceremony was held amid tight police security.
Kaup MLA Gurme Suresh Shetty said the Karnataka State Kambala Association had fixed April 25 for the event, and that district minister Laxmi Hebbalkar and the district administration had been informed about Saturday's ceremony. But former MLA Vinay Kumar Sorake announced Friday that it would be held on March 4."The minister, who initially agreed for the event to be held on Saturday, asked to postpone the programme. Since all preparations were complete, we had to conduct it today," Shetty said.He said the event requires Rs 2 crore, of which Rs 60 lakh has already been spent on levelling the 6.3 acres, and alleged that the govt has not released funds yet.Byndoor MLA Gururaj Gantihole said Shetty, as the incumbent MLA, has the responsibility to hold the event. Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja accused the Congress govt of showing disparity in developing coastal districts. "Let chief minister Siddaramaiah, deputy CM DK Shivakumar and district minister Laxmi Hebbalkar release at least Rs 1 crore for Udupi Kambala," he said.Karnataka State Kambala Association president Deviprasad Shetty Belapu said the govt had allotted the land for Udupi Kambala and dismissed talk of a political slugfestBased on a complaint by Gururaj, tahsildar Udupi, a case has been filed agianst against 37 known persons and other unknown persons for violating DC's order and for criminal trespass related to the event at Bairanje, near Athrady on Saturday at the Manipal police station. Case under Sections 189(2), 191(2), 329(3), 190 BNS; 37 and 109 KP Act has been registered against MLAs Gurme Suresh Shetty, Yashpal Suvarna, V Sunil Kumar, Kiran Kumar Kodgi, Gururaj Gantihole, Harish Poonja, Rajesh Naik, MLC Dr Dhananjay Sarji, MP Kota Shrinivasa Poojary, Deviprasad Shetty Belapu and others..