Gowda now admits ‘bloody b..’ was against Yeddyurappa

NEW DELHI/BANGALORE - Janata Dal-Secular president and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda Monday admitted that he hurled the invective ‘bloody b…’ at Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Sunday.

On Sunday, Gowda claimed the profanity was not against Yeddyurappa but the state Advocate General Ashok Harnahalli.

However, on Monday he told reporters in New Delhi that he was moved by the “agony” of farmers whose land was to be acquired for the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project and this forced him to use such words.

Gowda also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for “repeatedly raising the issue”, saying that he has “already expressed regret”.

“What do people want to highlight?…I have already expressed my regret (on it). What can I do, if they repeat, repeat, and repeat. I don’t want to further comment on it,” Gowda told IANS.

Gowda’s son and former state chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy also acknowledged that the foul language was against Yeddyurappa.

He told reporters in Bangalore that he did not approve of the language his father used against Yeddyurpapa.

“My father has already expressed regret for it. The party also has done it,” he added.

Gowda, who went to the Supreme Court as the case regarding BMIC came up for hearing Monday, however, continued his attack on Yeddyurappa over land allotment for the project.

“The company (promoting BMIC) personnel, the advocate general of the state and the chief minister have colluded, cheated and grabbed 4,884 acres of land,” Gowda asserted.

The BMIC is being implemented by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE), a consortium led by the Kalyani Group of Industries.

Yeddyurappa too continued attacking Gowda for claiming to protect the interests of the farmers.

“He is adept at presenting falsehood as truth,” the chief minister said and warned Gowda not to provoke him with his abuses.

“Gowda has insulted not only me, but also six crore people of Karnataka,” Yeddyurappa said. “I can also make similar remarks. But I won’t…Let him stop provoking me.”

The chief minister said he was not contemplating legal action against Gowda for using abuses. “Gowda himself is a legal expert. What legal action can I take?” he remarked sarcastically.