JD(S) expels former Mandya MP L R Shivarame Gowda
Bengaluru, Jan 31: The JD(S) on Monday expelled former Member of Parliament from Mandya L R Shivarame Gowda for indulging in anti-party activities.
Karnataka JD(S) President H K Kumaraswamy has issued his expulsion order, with immediate effect.
Earlier in the day, JD(S) Legislature Party leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had instructed the state president to expel Shivarame Gowda for allegedly making derogatory remarks against former Mandya MP from Congress party and senior leader from Vokkaliga community, late G Madegowda.
Speaking to reporters, he had said, permission has been taken from JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda regarding expelling Shivarame Gowda.
Stating that an audio recording has surfaced, where Shivarame Gowda can be allegedly heard speaking unnecessary things, Kumaraswamy said, "continuing a person, who has spoken lightly about a tall leader from Vokkaliga community like late Madegowda, in our party, will not be right."
Vokkaligas, a dominant community in the old Mysuru region, to which Deve Gowda family belongs to, is considered as the strong vote base of the JD(S).
Hitting out at Shivarame Gowda, Kumaraswamy further said, "His repeated such wrong conduct and statements have caused embarrassment to the party.....he has also claimed (in the audio) about spending crores of money during parliament elections, not sure whom he gave that money."
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Catholic Bishops' body slams Bhagwat's remarks
New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'
In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".
"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.
"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.
'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.
The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.
"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.
In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"
"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.
O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".
The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.
