Gowda raps govt for attaching minorities to terror, conversions

New Delhi, Sep 27 (UNI) Condemning the attacks on the minorities in Orissa and Karnataka, former prime minister and JD(S) president Deve Gowda today said the only achievement of the BJP and Cong-led governments at the Centre during the last decade had been to attach the minorities to terrorism and conversions.

Addressing the minorities on the second day of the seven-day sit-in protest of the Christians from Delhi and the NCR here, Mr Gowda said, ''Such an atmosphere is being created where no Muslim can be trusted today. Similar situation is being created for the Christians also. If these two minorities can be bifurcated, the BJP will be successful in its evil design to have only one religion in the country.'' To protect the secular fabric of the society, a third front was needed which would also comprise of BSP supremo Mayawati, he said.

The former prime minister lamented that his requests to the district authorities in Karnataka to take action against atrocities meted out to the minorities fell on deaf ears. ''So, I had to sit on dharna at Rajghat here on Wednesday to awaken the Centre from its slumber over the issue.'' More UNI PK VC1425