<p class="bodytext">JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, who was selected for the Maharshi Valmiki award, too skipped the event, as he had to fly to London to participate in the Global Achievers Conclave on Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Defending the government’s decision to confer the award to Gowda, Social Welfare Minister Priyank Kharge and Maharshi Valmiki award selection panel head - retired high court judge Justice Nagamohan Das said that the former prime minister was selected for the award for his contribution to the welfare of the Valmiki community.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The committee’s recommendation has become controversial. It was reported that the son (H D Kumaraswamy) will present the award to his father (Gowda). But nobody took into consideration the contribution made by Gowda towards the welfare of the community,” said Kharge.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Das said that the panel wanted to break the tradition of restricting the award to achievers from the Valmiki community. "We wanted to send across a message by not selecting an individual from the community,” he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Social Welfare department will present the award to Gowda on his return, said Kharge.</p>
<p class="bodytext">JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, who was selected for the Maharshi Valmiki award, too skipped the event, as he had to fly to London to participate in the Global Achievers Conclave on Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Defending the government’s decision to confer the award to Gowda, Social Welfare Minister Priyank Kharge and Maharshi Valmiki award selection panel head - retired high court judge Justice Nagamohan Das said that the former prime minister was selected for the award for his contribution to the welfare of the Valmiki community.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The committee’s recommendation has become controversial. It was reported that the son (H D Kumaraswamy) will present the award to his father (Gowda). But nobody took into consideration the contribution made by Gowda towards the welfare of the community,” said Kharge.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Das said that the panel wanted to break the tradition of restricting the award to achievers from the Valmiki community. "We wanted to send across a message by not selecting an individual from the community,” he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Social Welfare department will present the award to Gowda on his return, said Kharge.</p>
