The JD (S) state president H D Kumaraswamy termed the Union government’s decision to ban the red beacon lights atop VVIP vehicles a gimmick.

He said this while speaking after inaugurating Pykera Cricket Cup 2017 tournament organised by Kodagu Gowda Yuva Vedike here on Friday.

Kumaraswamy dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to impose a ban on the use of government vehicles by the Union minister and VVIPs and instead use their personal or private vehicles. He added that such rules are in force in a few foreign countries where VVIPs take public transportation or use private vehicles for commutation.

He said that JD(S), if voted to power in 2018 Assembly polls, will announce the farm loan waiver within 24 hours. Kumaraswamy said that his party will not forge pre-poll alliance with any party and added that the JD(S) will field candidates in all 224 Assembly constituencies.

Kumaraswamy cautioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not to get carried away with Congress party’s win in Nanjangud and Gundlupet bypolls and suggested the latter to learn a lesson or two from Yeddyurappa episode. Yeddyurappa was of the belief that he would continue to hold power for two terms. But what happened to him, Kumaraswamy questioned.

The JD(S) state president accused Congress of plundering taxpayer’s money in the name of various development and welfare programmes. It is evident with the recent public statement by a Congress legislator who claimed to have collected Rs 10 crore for the hustings. People in the state are closely watching such developments and will teach a lesson to both Congress and BJP, he added.

DVS sets example
Even as the ban on red beacon lights atop VVIP vehicles will come into effect from May 15, Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation D V Sadananda Gowda got the red light removed from his car. Gowda’s car on Friday did not have a red beacon light.