NDA, UPA ignore empowerment of minorities: JD(S)

Bangalore, Nov 17(UNI) The Janata Dal(Secular) founder-leader and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda today said both the National Democratic Alliance(NDA) and United Progressive Alliance (UPA), during their tenure, had ignored the 29-crore minorities in the country from the ambit of empowerment and alleged that the country's federal structure' was not safe under them.

Addressing a party workers' meeting, organised by the JD(S) Karnataka unit here, Mr Gowda vehemently criticised the NDA and the UPA for creating insecurity for minorities in the country, which is against the values preached by Mahatma Gandhi.

Expressing concern over the slow Gross Domestic Product(GDP) growth of the agriculture sector, he said now it has been reduced to three per cent per annum, compared to nine per cent in 1997. It shows the negligence of the rural and agriculture sector by the NDA and the UPA, he added.

Mr Gowda said the UPA Government has not initiated measures to boost the rural economy and failed to fulfil the target of four per cent growth in agriculure.

The JD(S) supremo asked the new president of the state unit, his son and former Chief Minister, H D Kumaraswamy, to strengthen the party in the State. The JD(S) should meet the challenges of the Congress and the BJP by maintaining secular credentials of the party, he added.

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