JD(S) will corner govt on flood relief work: Deve Gowda

Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda said Friday the JD(S) would mount an attack on the BJP government inside and outside the legislature on the flood situation and the delay in the release of aid by the Modi administration.

Gowda said he would take part in a protest march the regional party had planned from the Gandhi statue in Anand Rao Circle to Freedom Park on October 10.

Addressing a news conference, Gowda said his son, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy had the strength required to raise the issue in the Assembly along with other party legislators during the upcoming winter session of the legislature that starts October 10. “But in the Lok Sabha, we can’t do much as we have just one MP like the Congress (from Karnataka),” he said.

Delay over the Centre providing aid had caused widespread discontentment, Gowda pointed out.

“The discontent has reached levels where ardent RSS and BJP supporters have criticised BJP MPs from the state, accusing them of dereliction of duty. Do I need to say more,” he asked in rhetoric.

Gowda said he had already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking Rs 5,000 crore as immediate flood relief. “I’ve not got any reply so far. I didn’t get an acknowledgement also. But the Parliament session is coming up in November and I’ll write again in detail seeking funds,” Gowda said.

Hitting out at Modi, Gowda said the BJP was voted back to power with a big mandate. “But what happened? Were jobs created? While HAL employees are protesting, the BSNL is also in a bad situation,” he said.

“They (BJP) think they can do whatever they want and people will still support. Even the Opposition isn’t strong,” he said, adding that people will “teach them a lesson at the right time.”