JOIN USIndia needs a strong PM who can unite people of the country, says Farooq Abdullah
India needs a strong Prime Minister, who can unite the people of the country, not the one who divides on lines of religion, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah said on Monday.
He was speaking at an event launching Furrows in a Field: The Unexplored Life of H D Deve Gowda, written by journalist Sugata Srinivasaraju.
Taking an indirect dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP at large, Abdullah said, "I am pained to see how the country is divided on religious lines these days."
“India can be a strong country only when we think and act for the well being of the entire population of the nation regardless of their religion,” the National Conference Chief said.
Praising former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, he said Gowda understood the problems on the ground and tried hard to bring peace in Jammu and Kashmir as the PM. Though there was a tough time and height of militancy in the hill state when Gowda was took charge as the PM in 1996, he was keen to understand the problems of people, he added.
In an emotional speech, Abdullah said that, despite the security apparatus' warning, Gowda travelled in an open Jeep in the state as the PM just to instill confidence among public and the country as a whole.
Stating that the people of Jammu and Kashmir always wanted to stay with India and wanted economic empowerment and welfare, Farooq Abdullah recalled that Deve Gowda was keen on these issues and during his short stint as the PM, he visited the state four times.
CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the party supported Gowda to become the PM in 1996 to ensure that the country stay together and to save India's Constitutional order.
"Now, politics is so degenerated that it won't come back to the earlier days of politics with ethics," he lamented.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that though Gowda was politically rooted to Karnataka, he rose to national level and proved his capacity during his tenure as the PM.
Eminent lawyer Fali S Nariman recalled his interaction with Gowda on several occasions and said the former Prime Minister's understanding of things and common sense was remarkable.
Nariman said when was heading Karnataka legal team on inter state water dispute Gowda's valuable suggestions helped immensely to argue court during the long drawn legal battle.
Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda was in the audience but did not speak. His wife Chennamma Deve Gowda, sons former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, former Minister H D Revanna and other family members were present during the event.
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