Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda has accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi of projecting himself as the only patriot and the sole leader capable of providing a stable and capable government.
Speaking to reporters ahead of attending a function in the city on Sunday, Mr. Gowda alleged that Mr. Modi has been talking about only “me and my government” these days. “He has been projecting the idea that if not him there will be a vacuum in the national political leadership. He has been asking people to elect a stable government. Is he the only leader who is capable of providing a stable government? What about the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” Mr. Gowda asked.
The president of the Janata Dal (Secular) said that late Mr. Vajpayee with many coalition partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with many partner parties in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) too have given stable governments. He said that leaders will emerge to lead the nation and no one was indispensable.
Mr. Gowda said that all Indians were patriots and not just Mr. Modi. The whole nation was committed to fighting against terrorism.
The JD(S) supremo said that Mr. Modi had been talking about building a casteless society. But reality was different. “Are we able to do it?,” he asked.
“Mr. Modi has also been talking of a corruption-free society and government. “Have we been able to stop the creation of black money,” Mr. Gowda questioned.