HDK Fast: Who Wins War Against Graft?
Gabriel Vaz
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jul 10: Barely 24 hours after starting his war of sorts against corruption or rather the fast-unto-death to press for his demand that Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurppa order a CBI probe into the widely publicized chargesheet by the ruling BJP against the alleged Rs 1500 crore illegal wealth amassed by JD(S) supemo H D Deve Gowda and his family, the State JD(S) chief and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has called off his fast on Sunday.
The withdrawal of the indefinite fast, which began on Saturday, July 9, morning before the former Central Jail turned Freedom Park, followed the mediation by three senior ministers in the Yeddyurappa regime --- Home and Transport Minister R Ashok, Labour Minister B N Bache Gowda (both belonging to Vokkaliga community) and Housing Minister V Somanna – the trio enjoying close rapport with the JD(S) leadership and dispatched as the Chief Minister’s emissaries to hold parleys with Kumaraswamy’s trusted lieutenants Y S V Datta, N Cheluvarayaswamy, Balakrishna, Bandeppa Kashempur and Z A Zameer Ahmed Khan.
Of course, the Chief Minister, who had tried to mollify the JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on the question of Hassan’s development, facilitated the negotiation by sending a personal letter to his bête-noir with a polite and fervent appeal to withdraw the fast in view of his precarious health condition and promise to take appropriate decisions on the demands for inquiry into the allegations made by the ruling BJP against the Gowda family.
Going by all accounts, the entire drama ended in a tie with no clear winners. Kumaraswamy could not force Yeddyurappa to concede the demand for CBI probe into the charge against Gowda family amassing illegal wealth to the tune of Rs 1500 crore. Neither side is able to earn brownie points, though JD(S) and Kumaraswamy have proved to be better crusaders.
However, the JD(S) leader managed to turn the spotlight on himself and his family as the real opposition to BJP, pushing Congress to the background as the party was not even a ringside player in the entire episode. In addition, Kumaraswamy ensured that Yeddyurappa and BJP virtually abandon the chargesheet regarding Gowda family’s alleged ill-gotten wealth.
The Chief Minister, in writing, assured that the charges leveled by BJP against the Gowda family and vice versa, most of which have been either referred to the Lokayukta or pending inquiry in the appropriate courts, would not be publicly aired and ''best left to be decided by such authorities.” In respect of all other charges, Yeddyurappa pointed out they could be resolved through mutual discussion, and thereby indirectly admitting that JD(S) would be taken seriously. As for the other allegations against the Gowda family, the Chief Minister promised that the Government will take ''appropriate decision” without indicating any definite time-frame, which could even mean putting them on back-burner indefinitely.
Apart from emerging as a ''hero” of sorts by coming out with scandals backed by documentary evidence against the various acts of corruption, illegal land dealings, nepotism and other irregularities involving Yeddyurappa and the allotment of sites to chief ministers sons, daughters, sons-in-laws and other relatives time and again and put the BJP government in an embarrassing situation, Kumaraswamy proved that he is a chip of the old block and worthy successor to the former prime minister in terms of grit and determination as he unilaterally decided to take on the chief minister to protect the family’s honour and made the party to rally round him.
Evidently, the fact that Gowda family enjoys the unswerving loyalty of almost the entire Vokkaliga family in the entire Old Mysore region and Kumaraswamy’s huge fan following among the younger generation and women – mainly on account of his performance during the 20-month rule as chief minister under the JD(S)-BJP coalition, must have weighed heavily in forcing Yeddyurappa to try his best to put an end to the fast as early as possible lest the situation go out of his control.
Kumaraswamy’s delicate health in view of his heart surgery two years back for valve replacement and the history of diabetics as well as high blood pressure must have turned out as another cause of worry as continuous fasting could be dangerous for a diabetic person. In the unlikely event of Kumaraswamy being forced to continue his fast for long and if something were to happen to endanger his life, he would have become a martyr and Yeddyurappa would not have been able to handle the situation. The end result would have been worse than the ''betrayal” by JD(S) that propelled BJP and Yeddyurappa into power.
Given Kumaraswamy’s track-record of exposing the alleged corrupt deeds and scams of Yeddyurappa as well as disclosures regarding the acts of nepotism, favouritism and other irregularities in favour of chief minister’s sons, daughters and other family members, the recent threat to come out with further exposures in Delhi must have caused uneasiness in the ruling BJP.
With Kumaraswamy planning to visit Kottakal Ayurvedic Vaidya Shala in Kerala for physical recuperation, Yeddyurappa reportedly drafted his trusted emissary and State BJP Treasurer Lehar Singh to ''fix” a meeting in the neighbouring State outside local media glare and bring about a compromise. However, the JD(S) leader declined to accept the ''offer” and went public causing embarrassment. Yedddyurappa sought to refute the charge and publicly challenged the latter to take ''truth test” before Lord Manjunatha in Dharmasthala by releasing ads in the front pages of State’s leading newspapers at Government expense!
The subsequent drama following Kumaraswamy’s acceptance of the challenge – of course, the cost of the ads were footed by the State BJP after public criticism – and the non-happening of the ''truth test” with all and sundry BJP leaders as well as most of the chief minister’s ''loyalist” Hindu pontiffs including national BJP president Nitin Gadkari asking Yeddyurppa not to take the ''truth test” is too well-known to be recounted. However, the ruling BJP tried to target JD(S) by compiling all the old charges against the Gowda family and brought them out in the form of a ''chargesheet” alleging that the total illegal wealth amassesd was worth Rs 1,500 crore.
It is, however, not too difficult to understand why HDK or JD(S) chose to resort to political grand-standing rather than seek legal redressal. He knew courts may not deliver justice or in time while retribution from the people’s court might be more swift and decisive, especially in view of the fact that the next round of assembly polls are due in 2013, if not earlier!