The Hindu : BJP twisted my statement: Deve Gowda

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 15, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

BJP twisted my statement: Deve Gowda

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore Sept. 14. The former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (S) leader, H.D. Deve Gowda, on Sunday accused the BJP State unit of having twisted his recent statement on cow slaughter to give an impression that he had said that Lingayats and Vokkaligas ate beef.

Pointing to newspapers which reported his statement, made at a press conference in Bijapur on Friday, Mr. Gowda regretted that the president of the BJP State unit, H.N. Ananth Kumar, had called for an agitation on the basis of a report in one newspaper without waiting for even a day to verify facts.

Mr. Gowda said at a press conference here that the newspaper published his clarification the next day, but the BJP went ahead with the plan to launch an agitation. All that he had said in Bijapur was that farmers sold cows and oxen that had outlived their utility, and these animals ended up in slaughterhouses. He had also said that the State and the Centre should provide funds to open goshalas.

However, the statement was twisted by the BJP which, Mr. Gowda remarked, had "abundant liking'' for him. This was clear from instances in the past when it accused his son, H.D. Revanna, of having "occupied the Chief Minister's chair" even before he himself had entered the Vidhana Soudha as Chief Minister.

In another case, when he, as Prime Minister, announced the launching of the voluntary income declaration scheme, the BJP had alleged in the Legislative Assembly that his relative had declared Rs. 80 crores in black money. This was a conspiracy hatched with some Congress members to tarnish his image, Mr. Gowda said. Mr. Kumar should realise that the BJP's image could be improved not by such tactics but by taking up problems of the people.

Mr. Gowda said the controversy on the Bill on prevention of cow slaughter was kept alive by the Congress and the BJP to arouse people's sentiments with an eye on elections.

The controversy over his statement in Bijapur had been created in view of the byelection from the Hungund Assembly constituency on September 26, he added.

Referring to the burning of his effigy by the BJP, Mr. Gowda said such forms of protest would not deter him from performing his duties.

The Janata Dal (S) workers could also retaliate in a similar manner, but he had counselled restraint.

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