Gowda Attacks Cong High Command for Not Checking Karnataka Mess

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Oct 22: With the BJP government headed by Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa pulling out all steps to improve its majority in the state assembly by resorting to ''Operation Kamala" and persuading Congress and JD(S) to resign by offering money and promises of positions of power, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda trained guns on Congress high command for its failure to act against ruling BJP’s ''unscrupulous efforts to decimate the secular parties."
           
"How long will the Congress leadership in New Delhi keep its eyes closed to the disgusting developments in Karnataka?," Gowda asked referring to the unabated defection of MLAs from Opposition Congress and JD (S) to the BJP under the 'renewed Operation Lotus.'

The former prime minister accused the ruling BJP of ''purchasing" Opposition MLAs with their ''ill-gotten wealth" to cling to power.
           
Meanwhile, Gowda’s son and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, who is also the state JD(S) president, met Governor Hans Raj Bhardwaj along with the JD(S) MLA Srinivas, who was allegedly offered a bribe with figures of money ranging from Rs 100 crore to Rs 50 crore and finally to Rs 25 crore and a cabinet berth, for resigning his seat and helping BJP.

The JD(S), which had recorded the entire discussion and produced an audio-visual CD and publicly aired it at a news conference on Thursday evening, presented the CD to the Governor as evidence of the unethical and undemocratic ''Operation Lotus."

The JD(S) supremo, who addressed a news conference on Friday, did not expressly seek imposition of President’s rule in the State but was highly critical of Governor Bhardwaj’s decision to ask Chief Minister Yeddyurappa to prove his majority on the floor of the house for a second time after he had recommended the dismissal of the BJP Government.

Gowda also recalled that he, as a Prime Minister heading a thirteen party coalition Government, had dismissed the then Gujarat Government when ''similar" ruckus took place in the Legislative Assembly.

The JD (S) leader criticised Speaker K G Bopaiah for allowing police officials to enter the Assembly hall. ''Never in the history of the Assembly were the police allowed to enter the Assembly", he said and held the Speaker responsible for the ''bleeding" injuries suffered by some MLAs due to the ''excesses" of the police.

The Speaker, who is expected to discharge his duties in an impartial manner, held a meeting with Chief Minister and City Police Commissioner a day before the October 11 trust vote, Gowda said.

The Chief Minister, according to Deve Gowda, had ''thrown decency to the winds for saving his chair" and questioned the attitude of the BJP national leaders and RSS leadership for ''silently watching the dirty political events and daylight murder of all democratic values of decency and morality."

''The chief minister has stooped to the lowest level to remain in office and indulged in poaching opposition MLAs through Operation Lotus which is highly unethical and unconstitutional," he said.

''The central Congress leaders seem to be seeing the state BJP unit as "Congress B team", he said.

Incidentally, the state unit of JD(U), which is an ally of BJP-led NDA at the national level and in Bihar, has urged President Pratibha Patil to immediately place the Legislative Assembly in suspended animation and impose President’s Rule ''until the judiciary gives its final ruling on the ongoing unethical power tussle among the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress and JD(S)."

State JD(U) President Dr M P Nadagouda said political activities in which all the three parties were involved had led to auctioning the commanding status of the State in the ideological politics in the country.
 
Commenting on the silence of the authorities concerned in the department Income Tax, Enforcement Directorate and others though huge money is reportedly exchanging hands in the power game, Dr Nadagouda said that it is time for the nation to save democracy from ''ugly politicking manipulations such as Operation Lotus by bringing in comprehensive and drastic amendments to relevant rules and protect the exchequer from being misused."
 
While the ruling BJP is struggling to protect its power, the opposition Congress and JD(S) were keen on establishing its administration in a ''despicable manner,’’ Dr Nadagouda said and the people and parties like JD(U)  were nauseated by the political developments in the State.

The JD(U) is not in favour of dismissal of the elected body. The State unit in consultation with the party’s national leaders would draw the attention of the President towards the issues involved in detail shortly, he added.

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