Criticising Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation D.V. Sadanand Gowda for his comments that the Kannadigas were ‘simply reacting to attacks on Kannadigas by Tamils in Tamil Nadu’, PMK founder S. Ramadoss on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to censure the Minister and sack him from the Cabinet.
In a statement here, he said that the Minister’s comments were an attempt to cover up the actual truth. “By saying that the targeted violence in Karnataka against Tamils and destruction of Tamil property was just a reaction to a stray incident against Kanandigas is an attempt to cover it up by Mr. Gowda,” he said, adding, “There was no attempt to let loose a rein of terror in Tamil Nadu, while in Karnataka we saw cadres of obscure organisations and even some ministers getting involved in exasperating the situation,” said Dr. Ramadoss.
Asking why the police didn’t stop the burning of KPN buses despite the imposition of Section 144 and didn’t protect the Tamils who were stripped and beaten by mobs on highways, he said Mr. Gowda’s comments were aimed at once again kindling the Kannada chauvinist sentiments. “Mr. Gowda is a law minister and he has been a CM of Karnataka. Such a person must know how to talk when the situation is tense,” he said.
He also said that PMK would fully support the bandh called by farmers and traders groups on Friday to protest against the Karnataka government which has failed to protect Tamils in the state.
