Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda today staged a dharna near the official residence of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to highlight the alleged neglect of his home district of Hassan in development activities by the state government.
With prohibitory orders barring assembly of four or more persons clamped in the area, JD-S leaders came in batches of four to hold the protest but were stopped by police. Eight JD(S) leaders, including Deve Gowda’s son and the party’s floor leader in the Legislative Assembly H D Revanna, who came first, courted arrest after being denied permission to stage dharna. Four other senior party leaders, led by Deve Gowda, were also prevented from moving towards Yeddyurappa’s residence.
They later squatted on the pavement of a nearby parking lot. The former Prime Minister has repeatedly alleged that development activities remained suspended in Hassan district ever since the BJP government came to power and that funds have not been released.
As Deve Gowda sat on dharna, a three-member team of senior officials from the Chief Minister’s office, led by Yeddyurappa’s Prinicipal Secretary I S N Prasad, came to the spot and held discussions with him. Deve Gowda insisted on a written assurance that a meeting of elected representatives from Hassan district be convened to discuss the issues. When he was assured of such a meeting within a week, he lifted the dharna.
He, however, threatened to undertake fast-to-death if the assurance was not fulfilled by July 3 and his demands were not met.
