JD(S) accuses Congress of spreading allegations against CM

Bangalore, June 27 (UNI) Janata Dal(S) President H D Deve Gowda today accused the Congress of spreading allegations that Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had close contacts with Real Estate businessmen, whose offices and homes were raided by IT officials.

''We know who has cooked up the news that the Chief Minister is close to these real estate operators. Let there be a detailed discussion on the matter and Mr Kumaraswamy will defend himself. If he cannot do that he will step down,'' Mr Gowda said, at a party held here, during which the former cricketer Dodda Ganesh also joined the party.

The JD(S)-BJP coalition government came into existence in Karnataka on a promise to follow a specific 'framework' agreed upon earlier. His party's only condition was that no section of the society should be targetted or victimised, he added.

''Our duty is to stand with the minority community and other weaker sections of the society. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi recently said that he would like to follow the Reservation policy extended to minorities in Karnataka. This is the testimony to our commitment,'' he said.

On continuing farmer suicides in Karnataka, he said the coalition government had done better than the UPA in helping the farmers during difficult times.

''I am disturbed to see more farmers committing suicide when the government is doing much to help them. The Chief Minister had once said that he would step down if the suicides continued. This shows his feelings towards the farming communities,'' he said.

Mr Gowda asked whether Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had resigned as farmers continued to commit suicide even after announcing the Vidharbha package.

''Can UPA take such similar steps. Let Union Finance Minister Chidambaram answer this,'' he said, indirectly referring to the state government extending farm loans at four per cent interest.

UNI