My Good friend HD Deve Gowda, says President

Bengaluru: President Ramnath Kovind who forgot to mention former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda's name during his address to Karnataka legislature earlier on Wednesday apologised to Mr Gowda. Personally.

During his address to the joint session of the state legislature, Mr Kovind said the families of the first three former Chief Ministers of Karnataka - K.C. Reddy, Kengal Hanumanthaiah and KadidalManjappa would be honoured as part of the celebration. However while he named stalwarts S. Nijalingappa, Devraj Urs, B.D. Jatti, who later became Vice-President of India, Ramakrishna Hegde, S.R. Bommai, Veerendra Patil and  S.M. Krishna, he skipped naming H. D. Deve Gowda.

The JD(S) MLA Y.S.V. Datta interrupted the President's speech at that point and pointed out the omission of Mr Deve Gowda's name. The President immediately said " .. and of course our former Prime Minister and my friend, Shri H.D. Deve Gowda."

Realising his error, the President on reaching Delhi called up Mr Gowda and apologised to him. "It was not intentional. I hold you in the highest esteem," the president reportedly said.

Mr Gowda responded by saying he did not take the episode seriously.

He assured the President that he would not make an issue of it. The President invited Mr Gowda to come to Rashtrapati Bhavan whenever he comes to Delhi to which Mr Gowda reacted positively, Mr Gowda's office said.