Date:22/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/22/stories/2007052206190400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Congress asks Kumaraswamy to stop `irresponsible criticism'

Special Correspondent

Party observes 16th death anniversary of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi

SPECIAL OCCASION: Volunteers donating blood at the Congress office in Bangalore on Monday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly N. Dharam Singh on Monday warned Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy that the Congress would launch an agitation against him if he continued with what he termed irresponsible criticism against the Congress.

Addressing a programme organised at the party office here to mark the 16th death anniversary of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Mr. Singh said the Chief Minister had ridiculed the party for distributing Gandhi caps to those who attended a function at Ankola in Uttara Kannada district recently.

Senior party leader D.B. Chandre Gowda said the Chief Minister was behaving in a childish manner and urged him to desist from attacking the Congress's ideology.

The Congress leaders, however, continued to ridicule the Chief Minister for staying overnight in villages.

Mr. Chandre Gowda said that by staying overnight in villages, the Chief Minister would not be able to bring about rural development. Instead, he should stay put at the Vidhana Soudha and monitor the administration. "Merely sleeping in villages without understanding the Grama Swarajya concept, will not be of any help to people living in villages," he said.

The former Minister Rani Satish questioned the propriety of the Chief Minister extending financial aid to those in need during the Janata Darshan without proper accounting.

The Congress leaders described Rajiv Gandhi as the architect of India's information technology and cellphone revolutions. They also hailed his commitment to the decentralisation of administration.

Mr. Chandre Gowda took exception to the view expressed by some Congress leaders that it was better to join hands with the Janata Dal (S) once again to check the growth of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the State.

"We are still suffering for the sin of joining hands with the JD(S) earlier. Let us not commit that mistake again," the former Minister remarked.

Party leader N.Y. Hanumanthappa urged party workers to strive to protect the unity of the country as well as society.