Govt, Opposition should reflect, find middle path for next Parliament session: Former PM Deve Gowda
New Delhi, Aug 12: Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda Thursday urged the government and the Opposition to find a "middle path" to ensure Parliament's next session in November functions properly, saying being "terribly adamant" or over enthusiastic are both dangerous.
Expressing concern over the Monsoon session washout, the Janta Dal (S) chief said it is a "collective duty" of the members of both Houses to ensure "ours is a functioning Parliamentary democracy".
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die on August 11, two days ahead of the scheduled end of the Monsoon session, due to a ruckus created by the Opposition over the Pegasus snooping row, three farm laws and rising fuel prices.
"Both government and Opposition have to reflect hard about how we should move forward. Being terribly adamant and over enthusiasm are both dangerous," he told reporters here.
He said there is a need to quickly find a "middle path" so that Parliament once again becomes a place where "we speak to each other, discuss and dissent in a dignified manner'.
Gowda, a Rajya Sabha member, said he does want to blame anyone but both the government and the Opposition should come to an understanding.
At a time the idea of democracy itself has come under "severe strain" the world over, "it is our duty to convince our younger generation that this is the best form of governance", the JD(S) leader said.
He suggested that senior leaders from both sides should come together and decide how to function in the next session of Parliament in November.
Gowda, who is nearly 90 years old, said he attended Parliament religiously despite age-related issues and had even made notes to speak on four topics -- farm laws, price rise, the 127th Constitutional Amendment Bill on the OBC list, and the Pegasus row.
"I could not speak on any topic -- not that I would have been given an opportunity to speak on all subjects because my party is in the minority of one -- because the Parliament was continuously disrupted. I feel very sad," he said.
On the Cabinet reshuffle effected by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month, Gowda said for the first time, 12 women, eight scheduled castes and 12 scheduled tribe community leaders were inducted as ministers.
"I don't know if this is social justice or election tactics, but whatever it is, I welcome Modi's decision," he said.
On Basavaraj Bommai taking over as the new chief minister of Karnataka, the JD(S) boss said, "I believe Bommai is capable of resolving the internal issues under the guidance of B S Yediyurappa (who Bommai succeeded)."
Gowda said Bommai's father was his good friend.
He also assured the current CM that the JD(S) would not create troubles for his government, rather it will extend support in matters related to land, water and culture besides development of the state.
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Suburban rail project: HC halts axing of 368 trees at Bengaluru Cantonment
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has ordered that no trees should be cut or damaged on over eight acres of land near Cantonment Railway Station, where a suburban rail project has been proposed, The New Indian Express reported on Thursday.
The order was reportedly issued by a division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Poonacha after hearing a PIL filed by former MLA AT Ramaswamy and three others. Notices were issued to the state government, central government, Karnataka Biodiversity Board and the tree officer.
Countering the apprehension expressed by the counsel for petitioners over the move to axe trees, the Additional Solicitor General of India (on behalf of the Centre), submitted that the state has rightly withdrawn the notification as it was issued without consulting the Centre.
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Also, the petition is premature as the application has been made to the tree officer seeking permission to cut trees for the suburban rail project on the land in question, he said.
The petitioners reportedly said the land is an old green space with 371 large trees and forms part of the Cantonment Railway Station area. They argued that a public notice was issued in April inviting objections to the plan to remove 368 trees for the suburban rail project.
The notice stated that the commercial development project will come up on the land measuring 34,856 sq mts, which has been leased to a private company.
They also pointed out that the state government had earlier decided to declare the area a biodiversity heritage site, but the notification was withdrawn in December without explanation.
They termed the decision atrocious and the reasons given absurd. The petitioners alleged that, “It is very clear that all is not well with the state, which has taken a retrograde decision, though it is a matter of grave concern, which will have an adverse impact on Bengaluru’s environment.”
