BANGALORE: A day ahead of the AHINDA convention in Hassan, the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, and Finance and Industries Minister P.G.R. Sindhia questioned the suspended party leader Siddaramaiah's concern for other backward classes and his actions as the Finance Minister of the State.

While Mr. Deve Gowda made only oblique references to Mr. Siddramaiah, Mr. Sindhia was forthright and took on the former Deputy Chief Minister and another suspended party leader C.M. Ibrahim.

Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Deve Gowda commended Mr. Sindhia's handling of the State's finances and the latter has in turn bluntly told Mr. Siddaramaiah to stop maligning the supreme leader of the Janata Dal (Secular).

Questioning Mr. Siddaramaiah's attacks on the family of Mr. Deve Gowda, Mr. Sindhia claimed that he literally "begged" Mr. Gowda's son, H.D. Kumaraswamy, to be appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister and to get plum portfolios.

Mr. Deve Gowda praised Mr. Sindhia for releasing Rs. 1,250 crores to panchayats, and indirectly criticised Mr. Siddaramaiah for withholding grants to welfare programmes such as Yashaswini when he was the Finance Minister.

`Presenting facts'

Mr. Deve Gowda said that even today hospitals, which carry heart surgeries, have not been paid for the treatment given under the Yashaswini health scheme. Even pensions for the aged, the disabled and widows have not been released. "I am not performing a post-mortem, but only presenting facts," he added.

He wanted the Government and Mr. Sindhia to extend the Yashaswini health scheme, which is limited to members of cooperative societies, to all families living below the poverty line.

Mr. Deve Gowda also wanted Mr. Sindhia to do away with the system of issuing letter of credit to contractors, which was introduced when Ramakrishna Hegde was the Chief Minister. He had opposed it as the Public Works Minister in the Hegde Government. "I want Mr. Sindhia to stop letter of credit and release funds before awarding contracts," he added.

Mr. Sindhia said Mr. Deve Gowda has the right to comment on the delay in releasing funds and issues such as letter of credit. He announced that all the 13 Janata Dal (S) Ministers will meet on October 4 to review the progress achieved in the implementation of the common minimum programme by the Government. Deputy Chief Minister M.P. Prakash will preside over the meeting. He will present a report on September 27 on the actual position with regard to collection of revenues by the Government (Mr. Siddaramaiah has been claiming an uptrend in revenue mobilisation during his tenure).

Hitting out at Mr. Siddaramaiah and others, Mr. Sindhia said what is called AHINDA comprised only those who have been political foes of Mr. Deve Gowda for decades.

Seniority

He also questioned Mr. Siddaramaiah's seniority in the party. Mr. Deve Gowda was a political leader even during the days of S. Nijalingappa. Next in seniority is Higher Education Minister D. Manjunath followed by Mr. Prakash. He hinted that Mr. Siddaramaiah is a latecomer to the Janata Party or the Janata Dal. Mr. Siddaramaiah came only to occupy high positions, Mr. Sindhia said.

Posing questions to Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Ibrahim, the Finance and Industries Minister wanted them to read what Mr. Deve Gowda has said about backward classes and the report of the L.G. Havanur Commission in the State Assembly and outside. He wanted Mr. Siddaramaiah to explain why he did not quit the Government even though he was aware of the existence of a "kitchen cabinet" in the Government and the party. He should stop attempting to position one section of the people against the other in the name of backward classes. He should remember that Mr. Deve Gowda worked for the cause of the OBCs even though it meant going against the interests of his own caste, Vokkaligas, and another caste, Lingayats.

Mr. Siddaramaiah should stop shedding crocodile tears for backward classes and inform people what he did for that section, he said.

He said that he will come out with replies in the next three months to the criticism that he is silent over acts of corruption in the Government.

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