Deve Gowda indicates JDS is keen on continuing alliance with Congress
Bengaluru, Sep 12: After engaging in a blame game over the collapse of their coalition government, JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda on Thursday indicated his party is still open for continuing its alliance with the Congress.
"To get rid of the bad situation in the country, we have to keep aside our personal jealousy," he told reporters here in an apparent attack on the BJP-led NDA rule without naming it.
Gowda hinted he was open for an alliance with the Congress in 17 assembly constituencies, where bypolls have been necessitated following the disqualification of rebel MLAs, but said it all depended on the decision of the national party's interim president Sonia Gandhi.
In the bypolls, the JD(S) was not inclined to contest all the constituencies as the Congress was more stronger on many of the segments, he said adding it was for Sonia Gandhi to take the decision.
He said she cannot decide without consulting Karnataka Congress leaders.
I don't know what is the stand of the local leaders, I have not discussed with anyone every one knows about developments that are happening in the country. so if they come to a decision, if local leaders of that party come to a consensus, we will give cooperation I have said. There is nothing to misinterpret, he added.
Gowda and Congress strongman in the state Siddaramaiah had traded charges, blaming each other for the collapse of the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition government in July after it was rocked by dissidence.
Both Congress and JD(S) leaders have also been non- committal over the continuation of the alliance after the fall of the coalition government.
Congress leaders including state party chief Dinesh Gundu Rao and Siddaramaiah, who is the Congress legislature party leader, have maintained that continuation of alliance will be decided by the high command.
However, several top leaders of the party on condition of anonymity had recently said the entire rank and file of the party were happy to end the partnership with JD(S).
The two parties, considered arch rivals, especially in old Mysuru region, had bitterly fought against each other during the 2018 assembly polls but came together to form a post-poll coalition following a hung verdict.
However, the alliance was not accepted by lower level leaders and the cadres of both the parties and this culminated in the open revolt by 17 MLAs of the combine and the fall of the government, paving the way for BJP's return to power.
The then assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar had disqualified 17 Congress-JD(S) MLAs under the anti-defection law. They have challenged it in the Supreme Court.
On the three seats represented by the JDS, Gowda said he would field candidates based on local leaders' decision.
Referring to the criticism of JDS by Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah, during the assembly elections that it was a "B" team of BJP, Gowda said no one now say so. "...it is a gone thing now. I gave cooperation despite all these things.
"The point is both the parties had suffered badly on account of remarks against each other (during 2018 assembly polls), what was the use? They had 130 seats with them (in the previous assembly), they got reduced to 78," he said.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
