No threat to Cong-JD(S) government: H.D Deve Gowda
Bengaluru, Jan 15: Amid allegations of the BJP trying to poach the MLAs of the ruling coalition in Karnataka, former prime minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Tuesday asserted that there was no threat to the government headed by his son H D Kumaraswamy.
"It is not in anybody's hands, including the media. However much you cry hoarse, nothing will happen because it is in the hands of God. When a party (JDS) of 38 MLAs gets the blessings of a national party (Congress), it is all the wish of God," Gowda said.
His comments came just before two MLAs -- H Nagesh (Independent) and R Shankar of the Karnataka Pragnya Vantha Janatha Party withdrew support to the Congress-JD(S) coalition.
Both the Congress and the BJP have been accusing each other of trying to lure away each other's legislators.
The BJP has shifted its MLAs to a resort in Haryana's Nuh district near the national capital, source said on Tuesday.
On Sunday, state Water Resource Minister D K Shivakumar had alleged that three Congress MLAs were camping in a hotel in Mumbai.
Gowda said it was an "illusion" to think that the Congress-JD(S) government was in trouble.
He said the media as well as state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa were in "confusion".
"You are under some confusion (about the stability of the government) as also is Yeddyurappa, but I have no such confusion. Nobody can destabilise the government because it is the wish of God," the JD(S) supremo said.
Gowda also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over allegations that Rs 60 crore and ministerial positions were offered to the MLAs of the ruling coalition by the BJP.
"Does it look good that a national party (BJP) is hoarding its 104 MLAs? I am not talking about Amit Shah but Modi, who talks a lot throughout the day," he said.
"All our MLAs are together at home. We are not worried about them," he added.
Gowda said the Congress was unnecessarily worried.
"(K C) Venugopal (AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka affairs) has arrived here because he must have been shook after listening to some news, but there is no need for any confusion," he said.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
