President’s rule approved

Most politicians would have thought twice about attending Parliament on a day when they knew they would be roundly reviled. But former PM H D Deve Gowda is not like most politicians. In fact, it could be well argued that he is unique when it comes to having a thick skin.


On Monday, when Parliament approved imposition of President's rule in Karnataka and the government declared its intention to dissolve the assembly to facilitate early elections, Gowda presented an incongruous sight in the Lok Sabha. To begin with, it was difficult to spot him as he sat at the back of the House, his head and face partially obscured by a dark muffler, a pair of spectacles resting on his forehead.


Gowda sat still, eyes closed, as Mohan Singh (SP) attacked him for bringing politics to a new low. He drew on his previous association with Gowda and recalled having witnessed the former PM visiting a temple in UP, prostrating repeatedly. "But his actions show that despite being a believer, Gowda has no fear of God."


Gowda was pilloried by both sides of the "communal-secular" divide. He was accused of devaluing politics by his infamous flip-flops. He was told that no one could be expected to repose any trust in him. Tejaswini Gowda (Congress) said people had lost count of how many times he had changed his statements.


Gowda could possibly draw some consolation from the BJP also receiving its share of ridicule. Once again, Mohan Singh made the point by saying: "I was surprised to hear BJP president Rajnath Singh lamenting that he had been betrayed. It just goes to show how people of modest capacities come to occupy high posts. If you deal with an untrustworthy person, what else can you expect?"





Courtesy:timesofidia.com

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