The Hindu : Karnataka News : JD(S) seeks to regain lost ground at show of strength

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Tuesday, Nov 18, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

JD(S) seeks to regain lost ground at show of strength

Bangalore Bureau

‘We have the onus of keeping the nation’s federal character alive’

Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

New start: Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda inaugurating a convention to rejuvenate the party, at Palace Grounds in Bangalore on Monday. —

BANGALORE: The Janata Dal(Secular) sought to get back to the centre stage of Karnataka politics with a show of strength at the Kayakalpa Pratijna Samavesha (convention to rejuvenate the party) organised at the Palace Grounds here on Monday.

Although the party had made arrangements for accommodating 2.5 lakh people, the response far exceeded its expectations as the convention drew a crowd that the city had never witnessed before.

People came from all parts of the State where along with the entry of a new leadership, a renewed message of secular unity against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was issued. With poor traffic arrangements in place for managing the fallout of such a gathering, the city went into virtual gridlock from the afternoon onwards.

The former Prime Minister and president of the party, H.D. Deve Gowda, told the gathering that the response is an indication of the “six months of misrule by the BJP, including the large number of transfers of officials, and the internal differences in the Congress”.

He noted that development in the State had “come to a standstill” and that the crowd had gathered to express its solidarity with the Janata Dal(S).

Mr. Deve Gowda said the Janata Dal(S) was the only party that had a firm commitment to take forward the secular forces and stop the growth of fundamentalism. “It is also the party with a focus on the poor and farmers,” he said and added that it had the responsibility of keeping the “federal character of the country alive”.

The former Prime Minister said the United Progressive Alliance and the National Democratic Alliance (when it was in power) had not shown any commitment towards protecting the secular features enshrined in the Constitution. As a result, 22 crore Muslims in the country were now living in the shadow of fear, he claimed.

In 1997, agriculture growth was around 9.6 per cent, but now, after 11 years, it had declined to 4 per cent, he said and added that during the current plan period it might not even cross 2.6 per cent. “As a former Prime Minister I would like to see a government at the Centre and the State that will sustain the growth in agriculture which is the cornerstone of Indian economy,” he said.

Mr. Deve Gowda called upon the people to provide at least 20 seats from the State to the Janata Dal(S) in the next Lok Sabha elections. “I will bring the entire Union Government to the doors of Karnataka and demand for an all-round development of the region,” he said.

The new State president of the party, H.D. Kumaraswamy, blamed the BJP Government for the power crisis gripping the State. “As long as I am alive my party will not allow my farmer brothers to beg for electricity. I will fight for their rights and help them lead a dignified life,” he said.

He noted that regional imbalances had become more pronounced in the State after the BJP came to power. The State had not made any progress in either power or irrigation.

Earlier, several former Ministers and party leaders, including M.C. Nanaiah, N. Cheluvarayaswamy, Bandeppa Kashempur and P.C. Siddanagoudar, addressed the meeting.

Meanwhile, the dislocation caused by traffic jams in various parts of the city caused immense inconvenience to residents and commuters.

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