Shahapur: Former Prime Minister and national president of Janata Dal (S) H.D. Deve Gowda on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of turning India into a Hindu-Rashtra.
Addressing a gathering of JD(S) workers here, Mr Gowda expressed his dissatisfaction over the way in which Mr Modi was ruling the country. "But as long as I'm alive, I will not allow Mr Modi to succeed in his designs to turn India into a Hindu-Rashtra", he added.
Without taking the name of Karwar BJP MP, Ananth Kumar Hedge, who has been recently inducted into the Union Cabinet, Mr Gowda said "A person from Karwar, whose hate speeches were the subject of a Kannada news channel debate recently, has been inducted into the cabinet. This is what Mr Modi wants to do- make India a Hindu country. But, it will not happen until I am alive. India should be the country where people from all communities live peacefully and I want exactly such a country,” Mr Gowda added.
He dwelt at length on his contribution to the irrigation projects in the region at various phases as Irrigation Minister, Chief Minister and also the Prime Minister. "I had given much importance to the Acceleratory Irrigation Benefit Programme ( AIBP) and earmarked Rs 1100 crore for the purpose. Apart from this Rs 1,400 crore was provided for Amarja, Karanja, Mulla Mari projects in Hyderabad Karnataka region", he added.
Mr Gowda also attacked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his statements tarnishing the JD(S). "Let him make any comment he wants. I carried him on my shoulders to the Deputy Chief Minister's post", he remarked. Mr Siddaramaiah who joined the Congress about a decade ago, was earlier in the JD(S) and had even become Deputy CM in a Congress-JD(S) coalition government
The former prime minister also called upon his party leaders to set aside personal differences and join hands together to work hard until the party comes to the power in the state. "If the JD (S) government comes to power, farmers’ loans will be waived and irrigation projects would be taken up" he added.
