SHIMOGA: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday denied the charge that neglect of minorities by the Janata Dal (Secular) led to the defeat of its candidate in the recently held Assembly byelection from Chamundeshwari constituency.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Kumaraswamy said it was his Government that had sanctioned five-and-a-half acres of land to Muslims in Bangalore worth Rs. 90 crore for the construction of a Haj centre.

He said though the request for the grant of land in Bangalore was pending for long, no Government cared to consider it. He said his Government took the decision on the demand within 10 days after it was made to it.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said his Government took several welfare measures for the Kuruba community and hence the allegation that his Government was neglecting that community was false. He accused Congress candidate and former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of indulging in communal politics during the election.

Asked about the decision of the Janata Dal (Secular) Executive to expel its president and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda from the party, Mr. Kumaraswamy said: "Wait and see who ultimately gets expelled."

Mr. Kumaraswamy pooh-poohed the remark that the days of the coalition Government were numbered and said it was the habit of some people to make such predictions.

On the reported remarks of Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Chandrasekhar Patil criticising him, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he was not bothered by such criticism. He maintained that the protocol applied to the Kannada Sahitya Parishat as much as to other organisations.

He said it was a matter of great joy that the sammelan was being held in Shimoga, which is the native district of the renowned poet Kuvempu.

The Chief Minister said the decision on implementing the recommendations to be adopted at the sammelana would be taken on a priority basis after placing them before the Cabinet.

Referring to the controversy over the introduction of English from the primary level, Mr. Kumaraswamy said that the final decision would be taken only after ascertaining the opinion of the people who had the ultimate authority in the matter.

On the need to accord the classical status to Kannada, he said that his Government had been pressing the Centre for it for the last several days.

Alleging that the Centre had been consistently meting out injustice to the State, he pointed out that the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh Governments were able to get their demands sanctioned by the Centre without any difficulty which spoke of the step-motherly treatment.

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