The fight between the JD(S) and the Congress to get a bigger pie of Muslim votes intensified on Monday with former prime minister H D Deve Gowda dismissing the Congress claim that it had set up Muslim Minority Development Corporation (MMDC).
Addressing a press conference, Gowda denied the claims of Union Corporate Affairs Minister Veerappa Moily that the MMDC was set up during his tenure in office. “It will be better if Congress leaders restrain from making such false claims,” Gowda said. The MMDC was his brain child and he was responsible for introducing four per cent reservation for Muslims when he was the chief minister in 1994, he added.
“The then governor Khurshid Alam Khan and DMK patriarch have lauded my efforts,” Gowda said.
The war between the Congress and the JD(S) to get a larger pie of 12 per cent Muslim votes has gained momentum after a mammoth Muslim Convention recently organised by the JD(S).
Reacting to the rally,the Congress had allowed its Muslim legislators Roshan Baig, N A Haris and Naseer Ahmed to counter the JD(S).
In a press conference on July 16, these MLAs had claimed that setting up of MMDC and four per cent reservation for the Muslims was Moily’s brainchild. The Congress at its core committee meeting on Saturday had even apologised to the Muslim community for the defeat of Iqbal Ahamed Sardagi in Legislative Council polls.
Alleging that both the Congress and BJP have not given any representation to Muslims, the former prime minister said that there are no Muslim office bearers in state Congress unit and the BJP has not even recruited a single person from the community in last four years. “The BJP government has not even nominated a Muslim member in Karnataka Public Service Commission. These are all steps to suppress the community,” he alleged.
He urged the government to withdraw its June 23 order that put a ceiling on income tax to repay the fee to OBC students pursuing professional courses. “Ie will launch a peaceful agitation if they don’t do so,” said Gowda.
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