JD(S) with Owaisi; Politics of chameleons
The public campaigning has ended for the assembly elections in state. Though the national leaders were seen too frequently in the public rallies, they couldn’t really deliberate about why their party should be voted to power. Prime Minister Modi even forgot the dignity of his Prime Ministerial position and spoke in all his rallies across the state. His Kannada speaking went terribly haywire with wrong terms and pronunciations. Yet he could not seek votes in the name of his party or explain why BJP should be voted to power in the state. On the other side, Congress party could at least put Siddaramaiah before the people owing to the personal and political integrity the CM has exhibited so far. Though Rahul Gandhi involved himself in the election rallies, his simplicity dulled out before Modi’s blatant shouting. Some even loved the uncomplicated person that Rahul is, even as a politician. But would this convert into votes, one never knows. The leaders of BJP sought votes in the name of Hindutva. Yeddyurappa seemed like a name sake leader. Though the PM kept mocking at Siddaramaiah as ‘Seeda Rupayya’ it almost felt like he was referring to Yeddyurappa.
JD(S) on the other hand, had Owaisi to back them in the publicity campaigns. Devegowda in all his speeches said “No matter who gets the majority, we will form the government”. It simply means, JD(S) would go truck with ANY party in the event of others not getting a clear mandate of majority.
There were times when people saw JD(S) as an alternative to mainstream the Congress and BJP. In the current context, JD(S) has surely lost its character owing to its opportunistic politics owing to the partnership it entered into with the BJP for power, during the last 20-20 agreement government. Today, there are rumours that JD(S) is even controlling the BJP from a distance. It is said that JD(S) is being nurtured by the BJP to ensure secular votes don’t go in the favour of Congress. This can be concluded with the fact that Devegowda having praised the RSS on some occasions. On one hand, Devegowda said the party would not go truck with BJP, and almost immediately after, Kumaraswamy gives another statement that could contradict what Devegowda has said. Hence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi heaps praises on Devegowda because he knows JD(S) can be used ‘as per convenience’ in the current elections.
On the same occasion, AIMM headed by Asaduddin Owaisi has extended its support to the JD(S). It is no secret that Owaisi’s party has been instigating people from different religions against each other, just the way as RSS and BJP do. There have been almost no occasions when Owaisi or his party trucked with the secular forces of the country. AIMM has always conducted itself in a way that has benefited the BJP. It’s participation in the electoral process in states such as Uttar Pradesh and others had given rise to a few suspicions that BJP and Owaisi had reached an understanding of sorts. Now, the JD(S) is also being rumoured to have done the same, in order to benefit the BJP. All parties that instigate people in the name of religion are the same. Hence secular parties must maintain distance from them. Ironically enough, JD(S) which lost its reputation when it went with BJP for power, is not whetting its luck with Owaisi on their side. Now it is anybody’s guess to see who would be benefited from this equation.
JD(S) hardly targeted Yeddyurappa in any of their campaigns. Instead, they continued to attack Siddaramaiah all along as if he is their personal enemy. Father-sons of the JD(S) did not open their mouth even when Narendra Modi derided the state in his speeches. JD(S) indirectly conceded with UP CM Adityanath in his insults against the state. The only focus of JD(S) is to ensure Siddaramaiah does not become the CM second time over. Should the Congress need even 10 seats to form the government, JD(S) would insist on keeping Siddaramaiah out of the CM’s chair. It is now evidently clear that JD(S) only has the interests of the supremo’s family in mind, and no values other than that. The election manifesto makes this more than evident that JD(S) is facing the elections only to stop Siddaramaiah from becoming second term CM. But that would be their ‘family requirement’ and nothing else. Having limited itself to some personal enemity, JD(S) may never be able to play a significant role in the current elections.
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RSS man's defamation case against Rahul: Key witness unavailable, hearing adjourned to Dec 20
Thane (PTI): A court in Bhiwandi in Thane district on Saturday adjourned the hearing in the criminal defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker to December 20 due to non-availability of a crucial prosecution witness.
Advocate Narayan Iyer, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, confirmed the adjournment, stating that the witness, Ashok Saykar, currently Deputy Superintendent of Police in Barshi in Solapur, could not remain present due to personal reasons.
Saykar's evidence is now likely to be recorded on December 29.
His testimony is considered key because he, as police sub inspector in 2014, conducted the preliminary inquiry into the private defamation matter under Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
It was on the basis of Saykar's submitted report that the court subsequently issued process (summons) against Rahul Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The criminal defamation case was filed by local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte following a speech given by Rahul Gandhi at an election rally near Bhiwandi on March 6, 2014.
The case stems from the Congress leader's alleged statement that "the RSS people killed (Mahatma) Gandhi."
The matter is being heard by Bhiwandi Joint Civil Judge, Junior Division, P M Kolse.
The hearing had previously been adjourned on November 15 after the complainant's counsel, Advocate Prabodh Jaywant, moved an application seeking permission to examine Saykar, who had submitted the probe report to the court.
The matter was originally scheduled for November 29 but was deferred to December 6 after Rahul Gandhi's legal team sought an adjournment citing their non-availability. The proceedings will now resume on December 20.
