Deve Gowda hints at not contesting Lok Sabha polls
New Delhi : Indicating that he may not contest the upcoming parliamentary election, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda said Friday that he expects to be given sufficient time to deliver probably his last speech in Parliament next week when the House takes up discussion on the interim budget.
The 85-year-old JD(S) chief also expressed anguish that he was not given enough time to speak in Lok Sabha during the debate on motion of thanks to the President's address on February 7 despite a request made to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
Gowda said he would even request the Congress party to give some of its allotted time in the Lower House to him to complete his last speech.
"I am disappointed. I am not satisfied (with my speech on the President's address). Barely I had spoken for six minutes, the Speaker cautioned me to finish my speech. Still, I spoke for some more time but I was not satisfied," Gowda told reporters.
The JD(S) leader said that he had specially requested the Speaker to give him an opportunity to speak during the debate on the interim budget and motion of thanks on the President' Address as it might be his last speech in Parliament.
"I have never criticised anyone personally. I sought time to speak not to criticise anyone. I have governed the country for 320 days and people of this country do not know what I did. The sole intention was to share what I did when I was Prime Minister because I have may not come to Parliament again," he added.
Gowda, who led a coalition government for 10 months between 1996-97, hoped to get sufficient time on Monday to speak during the debate on the interim budget.
"I will request Congress leaders to give their time to me. Let's see if they will give," he said, adding that this could be his last speech in Parliament.
It may be noted that the former prime minister's grandsons are vying for party ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Hassan, currently represented by him.
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Bengaluru: Four arrested for housebreaking, threats, extortion; fake PSI among accused
Bengaluru: Vidyaranyapura police have arrested four persons, including a man posing as a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), for allegedly breaking into a house, threatening the occupants, and extorting money while wearing police uniforms.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mallikarjuna, Pramod, Vinay, and Hrithik.
Police said the accused had hatched a plan to pose as police personnel, conduct fake raids, and extort money from residents by intimidation.
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According to the police, Mallikarjuna had failed the PSI examination twice and later falsely projected himself as a PSI. He allegedly conducted photo shoots in his hometown, Siraguppa, wearing a police uniform, baton, cap, and shoes, claiming to be serving as a PSI in Bengaluru.
On December 7, the four accused allegedly went to the house of Naveen in the Vidyaranyapura limits, threatened him with a stick and an iron rod, and claimed they had information that he was selling ganja. Under the pretext of searching, they allegedly extorted ₹87,000 through bank transfer, ₹53,000 in cash kept in the house, and ₹2,000 from his wallet.
Following Naveen’s complaint, Vidyaranyapura police registered a case and launched an operation, leading to the arrest of all four accused. Police have seized ₹45,000 in cash and the car used to commit the crime.
Further investigation is underway.
