Date:12/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/12/stories/2007041208160400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

UPA Government has failed to deliver: Deve Gowda

Special Correspondent

H.D.Deve Gowda

Bangalore: President of the Janata Dal (S) H.D. Deve Gowda has said that the economic policies of the UPA Government would bring harm to it, not unlike what happened with the National Democratic Alliance.

The day was not far when regional parties would have a major role to play in the country's politics.

Addressing a meeting of office-bearers and activists of the State Janata Dal (S) here on Wednesday, he said the attention of the UPA should be focussed on meeting the expectations of the common people. However, nothing seemed to be working given the nature of the increasing difficulties being faced by the people.

With reference to reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), the former Prime Minister said the UPA Government should take a leaf out of the OBC reservation module in Karnataka which earmarked 32 per cent reservation (in 1995) for the backward classes when he was the Chief Minister.

This was well within the reservation ceiling of 50 per cent made out by the Supreme Court and the State Government order had not been challenged in courts. Karnataka was also the only State which had granted four per cent reservation for Muslims.

He said the UPA Government should bring the reservations for OBCs under Article 15 (4) and 16 (4) of the Constitution apart from quota for Muslims.

Mr. Gowda said the apex court had not questioned the 27 per cent for OBCs, but had only found fault with the yardstick in bringing about the reservation for OBCs.

He said it was false to say that the coalition Government in the State was in favour of providing large tracts of land for SEZs.

The SEZ policy had been framed by the Centre, and the final approval for any SEZ should also come from the Centre.

Mr. Deve Gowda called upon party men to work at strengthening the JD (S) at all levels, and said the party was committed to handing over charge to its coalition partner, the BJP, in October provided there was no deviation from the Karnataka Development Programme (Common minimum Programme).

Earlier, chairman of the JD (S) Parliamentary Board D. Manjunath and chairman of the JD (S) Political Affairs Committee Merajuddin Patel spoke.

Later in the evening, a meeting of the Janata Dal (S) Legislature Party was held.