BENGALURU: A day after his minister for Bengaluru development K. J. George’s resignation, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sought to turn the tables on BJP leaders, demanding the axing of Union ministers facing criminal charges.
The Chief Minister, who was accompanied by KPCC chief Dr Parameshwar at a news conference, charged BJP leaders with resorting to politics over “dead bodies” and remaining silent even in the face of FIRs being lodged against about 19 Union ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet.
“They are desperately trying to foment suspicion in the minds of people about my government,” he said, adding “If they are true to their conscience, let them show the way and ensure that all Union ministers against whom FIRs have been filed, are dropped.”
Displaying several news clippings to buttress his charges, Mr Siddaramaiah lambasted BJP leaders for their double standards and lack of moral values. He highlighted the case of Rohit Vemula's suicide in which Union minister of state labour and employment, Bandaru Dattatreya, was named in the FIR on alleged charges of abatement of suicide.
Mr Siddaramaiah reiterated that he did not see the necessity for CBI to probe the case of suicide of DySP Ganapati. "A judicial commission has already been announced. The matter has gone to court. So no need to refer the matter to the CBI," he added.
The Chief Minister backed Mr George to the hilt saying “he (Mr George) is indeed a loyal soldier of the Congress, and proved it by resigning from his post on Monday evening soon after the court in Madikeri asked the police to register an FIR against him. The entire cabinet and myself felt that he should not have quit.”
