Revenge Politics in Karnataka, Alleges JDS

BENGALURU:Taking a serious exception to the reported reopening of a 30 years case against Hindu activist Srikanth Poojary in Hubballi of Karnataka, former Prime Minister and national president of Janata Dal Secular (JDS) H.D. Devegowda on Friday accused the Congress ruled State Government of adopting “revenge politics” against an Hindu activist by reopening an old case related to routing in Hubballi over Babri Masjid demolition at Ayodhya.

Gowda asserted that his party would continue to oppose “revenge politics” until his party remained with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “Being a partner of NDA, we have freedom to make our stance clear and it’s not right (to adopt revenge politics),” said the former Prime Minister at a press conference with State president of JDS and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru.

“Without hesitation, we worship Lord Ram and if any community feels threatened, then, JDS would initiate steps to protect their rights,” stated the JDS supremo and made it clear that JDS would not lag behind in expressing its views against “revenge politics” going on in Karnataka.

Recalling he said, “When I was the Prime Minister visited Ajmer dargah,Golden Temple and  Tirupati and Communist leaders questioned my temple visits and then I made it clear to them that he would be unbiased in discharging his duties as Prime Minister."

Over the reopening of cases against an Hindu activist in Karnataka, H.D. Kumaraswamy accused the Congress ruled State Government of “misuse of power” against Hindu activist and cases have been reopened by the State Government to “divert” the attention of the people from major problems such as farmer suicides owing to distress.

Regarding reopening of a case against Srikanth Poojary, Kumaraswamy said the State Government has blown up the case out of proportion and stated that another classic case of “misuse of power” by the Congress ruled State Government was the tree felling case of Hassan in which Vikram Simha, brother of BJP MP Prathap Simha was arrested and the JDS leader claimed that Vikram Simha had no role in tree feeling case at Nandagondanahalli in Belur of Hassan.

Kumarswamy accused the State Government of “deliberately’ inserting Vikram Simha as accused 3 in tree felling which was done allegedly at the behest of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to take BJP MP Prathap Simha who has been his strong critic.