Mangaluru: A day after District In-charge Minister Ramanath Rai denied the allegations levelled against him by former Congressman Harikrishna Bantwal that he had made derogatory comments against veteran party leader Janardhana Poojary, the latter openly challenged Rai to take an oath before Lord Manjunatha of Dharmasthala that he had not abused Poojary.

Addressing a press meet here on July 4, the former Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson said that this was not a civil case to give proof of the abuse as demanded by Rai. However, it is criminal intimidation and can be booked under case under IPC section 506, he said.

Further, he added that he will now let the Dharmastala Manjunatha decide on who was the lying party and he was ready to swear before him to prove his truthfulness. “If Rai is being truthful and sincere, let him come to Dharamasthala and swear before the deity that he has not abused Poojary. I would bring along Arun Coelho to take the oath. I will give Rai a week’s time for this,” he said.

On Rai’s statement that he had spent several days in Delhi during Lok Sabha elections urging the high command to give ticket to Poojary, Harikrishna Bantwal said that probably both Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi did not know who Ramanatha Rai was. He says that he has respect for Poojary, then why was Poojary was not allowed to hold conference at the district Congress Committee Office. He also questioned how he skipped to invite Poojary, atleast for courtesy sake during the inaugural of new Congress Office. Siddaramaiah government has not appointed a single supporter of Poojary so far to head any committee or any position in the state government.

To prove his point, he also showed a video of Arun Coelho’s byte with television channel wherein he alleged that Rai had made derogatory comments against Poojary. He also said that Rai had through his supporters made attempts to coerce Coelho to deny the allegations. This issue had come to the notice of Sonia Gandhi, he added.