Congress workers' meet to remember Blasius D'Souza

A convention of block-level representatives of the Congress in Mangaluru South Assembly constituency will be held on July 16 at 10 am at Town Hall here.

Mangaluru North MLA J R Lobo made this announcement to the media on Wednesday. He said the podium for the conference will be named after ‘Mohammed Badruddin’.

Lobo said there would be a talk titled ‘Nenapu Namana’ to commemorate the contribution of former minister Blasius M D’Souza, who is regarded as the champion of reforms.

This would be followed by ‘Saadhaneya Haadhi,’ a bird’s eye view of the achievement of the Congress-led state government over the last three years.

‘Munnota,’ a workshop on the study of former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Dr B R Ambedkar would also be held. The programme would be concluded by ‘Spoorthi Chilume’ felicitation and speeches.

Lobo said the 125th birth anniversary of Ambedkar will also be celebrated during the conference. M Mallikarjuna Kharge, leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha will inaugurate the conference. The District In-charge Minister B Ramanath Rai will preside over the conference.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President and Home minister G Parameshwara, All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of the district Shantharama Naik, parliamentarians Oscar Fernandes and M Veerappa Moily, KPCC working president Dinesh Gundura, ministers D K Shivakumar, Dr H C Mahadevappa, U T Khader and MLC and chief whip Ivan D’Souza will be the other chief guests.

Blasius D’Souza road

A stretch of road from the Balmatta Canara Bank Junction to the Karavali Circle passing through Bendurwell, will be named ‘Blasius M D’Souza Road’ from July 16.

A government order to this effect was issued on February 24, 2015. Lobo said that this was following a proposal made at the Mangalore City Corporation council meeting in 2009. “This will be a fitting tribute to one of the tall leaders of the region, who served as a minister, local body president and also the president of Dakshina Kannada unit of Congress party,” stated Lobo.

He also acknowledged that Blasius D’Souza had immensely contributed towards the development of the district and nurtured most of the leaders who later went on to assume different roles in the party.