Bangalore: HDK ridicules Rahul for remembering youth, women after 10 years of neglect
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jan 13: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Opposition Leader in the State Assembly H D Kumaraswamy ridiculed Congress party’s heir apparent and national party vice president Rahul Gandhi for suddenly remembering the country’s youth and women after neglecting and failing to empower them during 10 years of being in power.
Addressing a press conference in Bangalore on Monday, he said: ''Why Rahul Gandhi is holding consultations with the public after 10 years of rule. Ten years are not sufficient to empower the youth and women of this country.”
The youth and professionals are disgusted with the Congress misrule and its rampant corruption, scams, unemployment, slowdown in industrial production and anti-farmer policies, Kumaraswamy alleged and questioned Gandhi’s interaction with youth and professionals at the Palace Grounds here on Saturday.
The Congress, which has forgotten the country’s people for the last 10 years, has been making false promises again to seek third term for the UPA, he said asserted that the people are mature enough to be fooled by such gimmicks.
On Gandhi’s remark that "We work more but not good in marketing," the JD(S) leader said the Congress marketed issues of corruption well in the last five years.
''That is the reason why voters in Delhi had trounced the Congress party in Delhi and three other North Indian States,” he said and predicted that the trend would continue in the coming Lok Sabha elections too.
UPA soft to TN, AP but not Karnataka
Kumaraswamy lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for the party’s failure to safeguard the State’s interests in sharing Krishna and Cauvery waters.
The JD(S) leader wanted to know the UPA’s contributions to the State and said the UPA regime has been soft towards Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh and injustice meted out to the State in allocation of Cauvery and Krishna waters.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who hails from Tamil Nadu, has sanctioned Rs 2500 crore drinking water project to divert Cauvery water to nine districts of Tamil Nadu, Kumaraswamy alleged.
The JD(S) leader claimed that he has not approached the BSR Congress chief B Sriramulu and sought the merger the BSR Congress with the JD(S).
No truce with BSR Congress
''It is true BSR Congress has four members in the Assembly,” he said agreeing with a reporter that the merger of BSR Congress would improve the tally of the party.
"I am ready to vacate the office of the Leader of the Opposition" he declared and said: "I am not for merger of the party having leaders such as B Janardhana Reddy.”
''We do not want to compromise on our principles and policies. Position and power is not important,” he declared.
Following induction of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and three of his KJP MLAs into the BJP, the JD(S) will lose its principal opposition status in the Legislative Assembly. Both JD (S) and BJP have 40 members each in the House.
Will welcome Pramoda Devi, if she joins
The JD(S) leader also clarified that he had not held talks with Ms Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, widow of former Mysore scion late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar.
"We will welcome her if she joins the JD(S) on her own," he said.
He, however, did not answer questions on if his father and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda had approached Ms Pramoda Devi.
On Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with Ms Pramoda Devi, Kumaraswamy said everybody knows how the Congress treated late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar forcing the latter to join BJP and even leave that party. ''Let Ms Pramoda Devi make up her mind,” he said.
Cong insulted Bangarappa, Devaraj Urs: Madhu
Meanwhile, JD(S) Whip in the Assembly Madhu Bangarappa said Congress has insulted his father and former Chief Minister late S Bangrappa several times and has no moral right to use his name in programmes of other backward classes and highlight the programmes implemented for OBCs.
The JD(S) leader said the Congress had abused Bangarappa after he was removed from the Chief Minister’s office in the early 1990s.
The CBI probe was ordered against him in Classic Computer case and insulted him.
Later, the former Chief Minister had received a clean chit in the case.
Though the Congress continued several programmes launched by the former Chief Minister, it had insulted him after he quit the party.
"The Congress should stop using my father’s name in public functions," Madhu Bangarappa said.
The Congress leaders on Sunday hailed the achievements of S Bangrappa, at a backward classes function in the City.
The Congress had also insulted former Chief Minister late D Devaraj Urs, but the party continued to use his name and programmes to win over the poor people, the MLA said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who has been championing the cause of other backward classes, would lose his office after the coming Lok Sabha elections, Madhu Bangarappa said.