Bengaluru: Former Speaker and Srinivasapura MLA K.R. Ramesh Kumar has dropped a privilege motion moved against V. Balasubramanian, chairperson of Task Force for Recovery of Public Land.
“Yes, I have asked Mr K.B. Koliwad, chairman of the Committee on Privileges, to drop the motion against Mr Balasubramanian in the last meeting,” Mr Ramesh Kumar told DC.
In August 2013, the former Speaker had expressed his displeasure over the accusations made against him by Mr Babasubramanian that he had encroached upon forestland in his village. This had created a furore in the Assembly and members cutting across party lines had demanded action against some persons who were making allegations against the elected representatives.
Subsequently, Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa, in his ruling, opined that it was a case of breach of privilege and had referred it to the privilege committee. Mr Balasubramanian, head of a task force appointed by the B.S. Yeddyurappa government to identify and recover encroached government land, in an interview to a Kannada daily had accused Mr Ramesh Kumar of encroaching forestland.
The senior Congress leader said Mr Babasubramanian, a retired IAS officer of the rank of additional chief secretary, appeared before the Privilege Committee but he did not have documents to substantiate the charges made against him. In fact, the committee chairman asked him to give a letter to process the motion against the retired IAS officer. However, he changed his mind at last minute as Mr Babasubramanian was a good officer and he had seen him functioning as deputy commissioner. Mr Ramesh Kumar said the charges had been made without verifying facts and documents.
‘No mercy for Hiremath’
The former Speaker said he would show no mercy for S.R. Hiremath chief of Samaj Parivarthan Samudaya, for making baseless allegations against him. Mr Hiremath has been asked to appear before the Privilege Committee on October 13 to substantiate the charges made against him.
