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BJP government in Karnataka can be dismissed: Deve Gowda

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo, H.D. Deve Gowda, said on Thursday that the “failure” of the BJP government in Karnataka to protect the interests of minorities warranted invocation of Article 356.

Mr. Gowda, however, said that it was up to the United Progressive Alliance government to invoke the provision to dismiss the government. “If it has the material evidence collected from intelligence and various other sources, the Union government should proceed,” he told journalists.

Referring to the interim report of the B.K. Somasekhara Commission of Inquiry, he said it observed that the police encouraged the attacks on churches by Sangh Parivar activists. “Have the officials been suspended? The officials are bound by the law of the land. They should not act as per the whims and fancies of the RSS and the Bajrang Dal.” The Centre could ill afford to keep quiet when places of worship belonging to minorities were being attacked, he said.

Mr. Gowda recalled that Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa, at the time of being sworn in as Chief Minister, had promised a ‘Gujarat model’ of administration. “There is nothing surprising in the observations made by the Justice Somasekhara Commission.” The attacks on churches were only one aspect of the Gujarat model, he said.

He said that those arrested on the charge of attacking churches were out on bail, while farmers, agitating over genuine issues, were languishing in jail.

Mr. Gowda said he was aware that his political adversaries were hoping for his departure from the political scene in the State. “But I will not die until I remove the BJP from power,” he said.

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