DySP MK Ganapati's suicide: BJP, JD(S) corner Siddaramaiah, KJ George
Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Bengaluru Development Mininster, K J George were isolated in the Assembly on Monday as both the BJP and JD(S) mounted a joint attack on them on the spate of controversies in the state’s police department.
As the House debated the suicide of DySP, M K Ganapati, opposition leader, Jagadish Shettar recalled the issue of Ms Anupama Shenoy, the DySP, who resigned from the police force claiming harassment and the alleged hounding of Police Inspector, G N Mohan for filing an FIR against the CM's son. The BJP alleged Mr Siddaramaiah was protecting his associate, Marigowda, against whom Mysore DC Shika had filed a complaint.
While Mr Siddaramaiah tried to defend himself, other Congress members, including the ministers, remained mute spectators, allowing him to counter the onslaught himself.
In his defence, Mr Siddaramaiah played the minority card, charging the BJP with attacking first Mr Qamar- ul -Islam , then Mr Roshan Baig and now Mr George. The BJP members countered, claiming Mr Siddaramaiah was trying to woo minorities even in the case of Mr Ganapathy’s suicide.
Mr Appachu Ranjan took a direct swipe at Mr George for the DySP's death , supported vociferously by Mr K G Bopaiah and other members. As Mr George defended himself, he had no help from his Congress colleagues, who preferred to simply watch the drama unfold. Speaker K B Koliwad, too faced the fury of the opposition when he suggested that the family members of late DySP Ganapati could approach the court if the police refused to entertain their complaint.
He made the suggestion even as Mr Bopaiah charged the government with trying to take shelter under the statement of the late officer’s father, while refusing to take cognizance of the complaint by his wife and son.
Responding, Mr Koliwad noted there was a provision under law to lodge a private complaint if the police refused to entertain it. Hearing him, an angry opposition rose to its feet, with several members demanding to know why the police existed at all and what the government was doing to help people in distress. Beating a hasty retreat, Mr Koliwad said he had only made a suggestion.
