Deve Gowda : PM Narendra Modi using devious ways to saffronise country

Bengaluru: JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using “devious” political ways to “saffronise the entire country.”

“By 1972, the Congress ruled all the states except Tamil Nadu. Now, Modi wants the BJP to wrest all the states and saffronise the entire country. He is using devious ways of politics,” Gowda told reporters when asked to comment on over 40 Congress MLAs from Gujarat camping at a resort near Bengaluru.

The former prime minister also took a dig at the Congress. “I don’t approve of the Congress’ resort politics. Is it worth all this just for one Parliament (RS) seat?” he said.

Commenting on Lingayat row Gowda said the JD(S) will not take a stand on the demand to accord independent religion status to Lingayats. “Seers from the Lingayat community have convened a meeting at Kudalasangama on this issue. They will take a decision. Neither the party nor I have made a decision on this matter,” he said.