JD(S) not family enterprise, has helped many grow, asserts Deve Gowda
Bengaluru, Jan 13: Faced with criticism of reducing JD(S) to a family enterprise, former prime minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda Sunday asserted the notion was wrong as the party helped many grow including ex-chief minister and Congress strongman Siddaramaiah.
Blowing a bugle for the upcoming Lok Sabha election from his constituency and JD(S) stronghold of Hassan district, the 86-year-old Gowda said, "Our critics often say JD(S) is the political party of Deve Gowda's family. Have a look at these facts as well.
"We have made A H Vishwanath state president. Prior to that, I went to Krishnappa's house (asking him) to join our party and observed fast for it. It (JD-S) is not Deve Gowda family. Didn't we give prominent positions to Siddaramaiah, C M Ibrahim, Merajuddin Patel?"
Gowda lamented that an impression has been created that the JD(S) belonged to Deve Gowda family as his son H D Kumaraswamy was made the chief minister. He clarified that the 'pressure' to make his son chief minister came from Congress and he could not help but bow to the wish.
"There was a big news that it was a father-son enterprise. Is it so easy to convince all the 37 MLAs to make him (Kumaraswamy) chief minister? They (Congress) came from Delhi and insisted me to give my approval. An hour-long discussion ensued because I did not agree for it. Finally they forced me to accept it ," the former prime minister said.
Making an appeal to the party workers to work towards making the JD(S) strong, Gowda asked them to ponder over the future of the party if it is not in power.
"Please don't take it otherwise. There is no need to believe that we can resort to anything for power. How to save this party? Today, we have a coalition government but what will happen tomorrow," said Gowda.
The event also witnessed JD(S) leaders attacking their coalition partner in the government, the Congress. The two parties have agreed to fight to the upcoming Lok Sabha election together.
However, the two parties have not yet reached a consensus over sharing of seats. Instances of bickering often come to fore between the alliance partners as was seen at Hassan on Sunday.
In an angry rebuttal to Congress, Arkalgud MLA A.T Ramaswamy said the JD(S) was ready to sit in the opposition rather than tolerating the "arrogant" behaviour of Congress.
"The arrogant statement that we are twice your size and you have to listen to us' must go. I would like to say it absolute clearly that if this arrogance damages the interests of farmers and poor people, we will not think twice to sit in the opposition," said Ramaswamy.
The JD(S) MLA warned Congress that the party was under no pressure to run the administration by appeasing it.
He urged the party workers to gear up to see a Kannadiga unfurling the tri-colour from the Red Fort as had happened in 1998 when Deve Gowda became the prime minister.
Deve Gowda's grandson Prajwal Revanna was present on the dais.
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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.
