Bangalore,Jul 15:Targeting ruling BJP and Congress and with an eye on assembly polls next year, JDS today sought to clear doubts about its secular credentials after it formed a coalition government in Karnataka with BJP in 2006.
Addressing a Muslim Convention, organised by JDS, party supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda today said his son H D Kumaraswamy committed a mistake by forming the government with BJP.
Kumaraswamy committed the mistake of forming government with BJP as the Congress attempted to divide JDS, Gowda said.
“I am not after a chief minister's or any other post. Fighting for secular credentials is important for me than vouching for power,” he said.
Gowda slammed the BJP government for not appointing a member from minority community in the Karnataka Public Service Commission.
Gowda said during his tenure as the chief minister, he took the decision to introduce four per cent reservation for minorities in government jobs.
He said his family did not appease Vokkaliga community alone when he was chief minister, but had given five per cent reservation for Lingayat community.
“I gave four per cent reservation for Vokkaliga,” he said.
Gowda said his party had come to the rescue of the minority people whenever they were in trouble and had written to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to conduct an inquiry into the Sabarmati Express tragedy.
Kumaraswamy said he took several measures to protect the interests of Muslims even after joining hands with BJP.
JDS MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan alleged that Congress were misleading Muslims and using them as vote bank.
Addressing a Muslim Convention, organised by JDS, party supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda today said his son H D Kumaraswamy committed a mistake by forming the government with BJP.
Kumaraswamy committed the mistake of forming government with BJP as the Congress attempted to divide JDS, Gowda said.
“I am not after a chief minister's or any other post. Fighting for secular credentials is important for me than vouching for power,” he said.
Gowda slammed the BJP government for not appointing a member from minority community in the Karnataka Public Service Commission.
Gowda said during his tenure as the chief minister, he took the decision to introduce four per cent reservation for minorities in government jobs.
He said his family did not appease Vokkaliga community alone when he was chief minister, but had given five per cent reservation for Lingayat community.
“I gave four per cent reservation for Vokkaliga,” he said.
Gowda said his party had come to the rescue of the minority people whenever they were in trouble and had written to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to conduct an inquiry into the Sabarmati Express tragedy.
Kumaraswamy said he took several measures to protect the interests of Muslims even after joining hands with BJP.
JDS MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan alleged that Congress were misleading Muslims and using them as vote bank.
