Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda has expressed dissatisfaction with the Centre for trying to implement farm laws in a hurry and opined that “Centre could have given two months’ time to discuss the laws".
He was speaking to reporters at Yermarus IB on the outskirts of Raichur city on Wednesday before he moved to Deodurga to take part in a party programme.
He wanted to know why the government was trying to ‘suppress’ the voices of farmers. “Why has it built a wall? I have raised these questions in the Rajya Sabha. The Centre should not make it a prestigious issue.”
The former Prime Minister said that he will extend support to the farmer’ protests and speak in the Rajya Sabha.
He did not say anything about the third front. He, however, said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will win again in the Assembly elections but with less number of seats.
Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech in the Rajya Sabha lauding Ghulam Nabi Azad, outgoing Rajya Sabha member, Mr. Gowda said “He was a politician whom everyone likes.” Remembering the role Mr. Azad played during formation of the coalition government in Karnataka, Mr. Gowda said that Mr. Azad wanted H.D. Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister “though I had suggested Mallikarjun Kharge's name”.
He ruled out merger of JD(S) with other parties and said that he will work to strengthen the JD(S), concentrating on the next Assembly election. The State government has not completely waived off the farm loans and I hope it will do so in the coming days. We will not contest in bypolls. The JD(S) will not try to topple the government. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has got trust from the voters in the last byelections.”