Will continue to work as party worker, says former PM Deve Gowda
Bengaluru(PTI): Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, who turned 92 on Sunday, said he would continue to work as a party worker. The JD(S) patriarch celebrated his birthday in his party office.
"If you ask me what next, then I will tell you that I have a habit of not sitting idly in one place. I will toil as a worker for the party. I won’t say more than this," Gowda told reporters here.
The former PM, however, regretted not being able to go to Tirupati to offer his obeisance on his birthday.
"I had a habit of going to Tirupati on my birthday but due to knee pain I am not able to go there anymore," Gowda said.
He also thanked everyone who wished him on his birthday.
The JD(S) supremo declined to give any political statement, saying that this was not the day for it.
Gowda was born on May 18, 1933 in his ancestral village Haradanahalli in Hassan district. He served as the 11th Prime Minister of India for 10 months from June 1, 1996 to April 21, 1997.
The JD(S) supremo was also the Chief Minister of Karnataka from December 11, 1994 to May 31, 1996.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined several leaders on Sunday in extending birthday greetings to Gowda.
In a social media post, Modi wrote, "Birthday wishes to our former Prime Minister Shri HD Deve Gowda Ji... May he be blessed with a long and healthy life."
The PM said Gowda is widely respected for his statesman like approach and passion towards public service.
His wisdom and insights on several issues are a source of great strength, he added.
In his message on 'X', Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "Happy birthday to the country's senior politician and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda. I pray to God to bestow upon him good health and long life."
Senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa and his son B Y Vijayendra, who is BJP Karnataka unit president, also wished Gowda on his birthday.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
