In an informal chat with a section of the Press in Vadodara on Tuesday morning, Deve Gowda, who was on his way to Dangs along with senior Janata Dal leaders, said the Dangs incidents gave wrong signals and were a threat to the country's secular character.

On the sacking of Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, he said ``Bhagwat had been treated worse than a clerk by the Centre.'' He said removal of such a person should have preceded mature consideration by a proper high-powered Parliamentary Committee and decent procedure.

He reiterated his stance on the purchase of T-90 tanks from Russia and said he had written a letter in the connection to the PM.