Cong questions JD(S) claim on minority welfare

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Launching a scathing attack on former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda and former chief minister H. D. Kumaraswamy, minority leaders of the Congress cited several instances to claim that the JD(S) supremo was never pro-minority.

Ridiculing Mr Gowda for his claims made at a Muslim rally on Sunday, Congress leaders asked him if he was prepared for a debate on what the party had done for the minorities and vice versa. Jointly addressing a press conference, former ministers, R. Roshan Baig, Naseer Ahmed and Shantinagar legislator, N.A. Harris said the Congress could cite umpteen instances to prove that Mr Gowda and his son, Mr Kumarswamy were anti-minority.

“The latest example is that of Mr Gowda allowing Mr Kumaraswamy to induct former state Bajrang Dal president, Mahendra Kumar into the party despite his involvement in the church attacks in 2008. In the past, Mr Gowda himself led a protest against the Chinnappa Reddy commission's recommendations on granting backward class status to minorities. So how can Mr Gowda be described as pro-minority?,” they asked.

They wondered if the Congress would recommend Mohammed Hamid Ansari for a second term for vice -president and give a fourth Rajya Sabha term to Dr K. Rehman Khan if it was anti-minority?

Slamming Mr Gowda for taking credit for implementing the five per cent reservations for minorities, Mr Naseer Ahmed questioned how a senior politician like Mr Gowda could present fabricated facts about such a serious issue?

“The Congress government under M. Veerappa Moily's leadership was the first to propose this reservation for minority. However, the moment the government proposed and approved it, a section of activists approached the courts and obtained a stay. Subsequently, the stay got vacated and Mr Gowda, who took over as CM, implemented it. So, here too, Mr Gowda has no right to claim his party is pro-minority,” Mr Naseer Ahmed said.

Mr Baig questioned why HDK, then chief minister, cleared the nomination of Yashpal Suvarna for Udupi Municipal Council, who was the prime accused in 'Adi Udupi naked parade' case?

“The infamous parade was synonymous with terrorising minorities. The JD(S) never repented for its deeds. Its minority convention organised on Sunday at Palace Grounds is an eyewash,” he remarked.

Gowda backs HDK

Former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda has rushed to defend his son and former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy saying there was nothing wrong in trying to woo disgruntled legislators and leaders from the BJP.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mr Gowda said if erstwhile JD(S) leaders who had migrated to BJP, wanted to come back, they were welcome. Commenting on the Haladi Srinivas Shetty episode, he said the Kundapur MLA was a decent politician and might have been shocked over the manner in which the party treated him.

Taking a dig at the Sangh Parivar, Mr Gowda said RSS leaders must be feeling bad about the developments in the BJP state unit. He felt the revolt by former revenue minister Karunakar Reddy along with his supporters would adversely affect the new administration.