‘Army given free hand like never before’, says former PM Deve Gowda
Bengaluru: Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, former Prime Minister and JD-S Rajya Sabha MP H.D. Deve Gowda said on Tuesday that PM Modi has given the Army complete freedom to act against the terrorists which carried out the Pahalgam terror attack.
“The Prime Minister has said he will not rest until the terrorists are caught and brought to justice. For the first time, a PM has taken such a bold step and given the Army complete freedom to act,” Gowda added, while addressing the media in New Delhi.
Expressing deep sorrow over the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, where innocent tourists lost their lives, the former Prime Minister called it an unprecedented incident.
“I think this is the first time that tourists have been targeted in Kashmir in such a horrifying and calculated manner,” he remarked.
He emphasised that PM Modi has met the Chiefs of the Army, Navy, and the Air Force to discuss the way forward, ensuring coordinated national defence.
“Never in the past has any Prime Minister given such liberty to the armed forces,” he said.
“I want to say, including Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, we strongly stand with PM Modi in this hour.”
Deve Gowda also underscored the unified political front, saying: “The Home Minister and Defence Minister have jointly shouldered responsibility. The entire nation stands with PM Modi. All political parties support the actions taken so far.”
Acknowledging a short-term dip in tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, he remained optimistic and said: “Tourist flow has reduced for now, but I’m confident this will improve in the future.”
The former Prime Minister dismissed any attempts to draw historical parallels, especially with the 1971 war.
“You cannot compare today with the past. The situations have changed,” he asserted.
“I don’t wish to comment on what happened when late Indira Gandhi was PM. It’s irrelevant now.”
He stressed that religion is not a factor in the current response: “This is not about Hindu or Muslim. All parties have clearly stated they stand with the PM and our armed forces.”
Touching upon the issue of caste census, Deve Gowda welcomed the Union government’s decision to carry out a nationwide caste census.
“Internal reservation has taken a serious turn, and the PM along with the Union government has decided to address it systematically,” he said.
He mentioned that Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and other party leaders have extended full support to the Centre’s move.
“States like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana may have their own stance, but the Centre is taking a structured approach,” he said, acknowledging the complexities faced by regions like the Northeast.
Criticising Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Deve Gowda said, “The Chief Minister, who calls himself a hero for SCs and STs, should first reveal what actions he took as CM. He passed 16 budgets, yet couldn’t approve a caste census. Ministers from his Cabinet couldn’t defend him.”
“Siddaramaiah was debating the Kantharaju Commission’s report, then came the retired Justice H.N. Nagmohan Das Committee. Still, no approval came through. Now, Siddaramaiah wants to teach the PM and Home Minister about social justice?” Gowda chided the Congress-led sate government.
Taking a jibe at Siddaramaiah, he concluded: “Let Siddaramaiah first disclose how many backward class members are employed in his own office. The PM will not allow injustice to any community, and we will stand firmly with him.”
