BENGALURU: A combined Opposition lambasted the state government over the decision to constitute the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), with BJP legislators trooping into the well of the Legislative Assembly as a mark of protest, but Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the move saying the move would help ease the pressure on Lokayukta courts and clear the backlog of 18,000-odd cases pending trial in these courts.
While rebutting allegations of Opposition legislators, Mr Siddaramaiah sought to turn the tables on them, demanding that they impress upon Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to bring the CBI within the ambit of Lokapal.
Earlier, leader of Opposition, Jagadish Shettar, former minister S. Suresh Kumar and JD (S) deputy leader, Y. S. V. Datta, had alleged that the decision to carve the ACB was taken in order to give a silent burial to the institution of Lokayukta itself.
“What has made Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, to constitute the ACB now which he did not feel necessary when he was leader of Opposition? Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde had resigned from his post over allegations and similar kind of debate had taken place.
As leader of Opposition, Mr Siddarmaiah had vehemently argued in favour of strengthening the institution of Lokayukta, but not in favour of ACB,” queried Mr Datta.
Table Manipaddy report in Council: D.H. Shankarmurthy
In what could be considered a huge embarrassment for the state government, Legislative Council Chairman D.H. Shankarmurthy has directed the government to place the Anward Manippady report which indicted senior Congress leaders for allegedly encroaching on Wakf properties in the state, in the House.
The government had hesitated to table the report in the House and had rejected the recommendations of the report. However the chairman ruled that the government must table the report as soon as possible.
Floor leader S.R. Patil assured members that after consulting Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister T.B. Jayachandra, he will inform the House regarding the tabling of the report.
