Karnataka: Irked JD (S) leader HD Kumaraswamy to log out of Power Panel Committee?
BENGALURU: With no headway registered in the investigation into alleged irregularities in purchase of power since 2004, JD (S) leader H D Kumaraswamy has decided to quit the House committee set up to probe purchases over the last 11 years.
“The purpose of constituting the House committee has been defeated with energy minister D K Shivakumar, who is also chairman of the panel, not keen to probe the matter. So, I have decided to meet Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa soon and submit my resignation from membership of the committee”, Mr Kumaraswamy told Deccan Chronicle.
The Legislative Assembly decided to constitute the House committee after leader of Opposition Jagadish Shettar alleged large-scale irregularities in power purchase, causing a huge loss to the state exchequer. Bowing to the demand of both BJP and Janata Dal (S) members, the government announced constitution of the committee on September 13, 2014. Mr Shivakumar had promised to come out with a detailed report within one month.
The committee consists of Mr Shivanand S Patil, Mr K R Ramesh Kumar, Mr Pramod Madhwaraj, Mr K N Rajanna, Mr P M Narendra Swamy, Mr Basavaraj Bommai, Mr Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, Mr H D Kumaraswamy, Mr G T Deve Gowda and Mr P Rajeev. Initially, the panel met twice in October and November, and only once in December and January. The last meeting held was on January 19, 2015.
Although, it was mandatory that the committee should meet regularly, it had not met in the last three and a half months. Mr Kumaraswamy, who has often sparred with Mr Shivakumar, was very critical about the functioning of the committee. He said Mr Shivakumar was not ready to share any documents with members and has refused to provide photo copies of all power purchase agreements signed between the state government and private companies since 2004.
"Mr Shivakumar does not give the files pertaining to power purchase well in advance so that members could prepare their questionnaire before attending the meeting. The minister insists that we see all documents only during the meeting. With this kind of an attitude, how is it possible to unearth the truth,” he asked.
The former CM said he did not want to become a member of the committee just to collect TA/DA from the government and to sip coffee. Official sources said Mr Shivakumar was away on a personal tour of Malaysia and would return after May 4.
