BJP, JD(S) slam cabinet decision, say it's aimed at protecting DKS

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The opposition BJP and JD(S) have slammed the Karnataka cabinet's move to withdraw consent for a CBI investigation against Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in a disproportionate assets case, terming the decision illegal.

They accused the government of going against the law and taking an "immoral" decision aimed at protecting Shivakumar.

They indicated the issue would be raised, both inside and outside the legislative assembly, to attack the Siddaramaiah administration.

The cabinet on Thursday deemed the previous BJP government's move to give consent to the CBI to investigate the DA case against Shivakumar as not being in accordance with law, and decided to withdraw the sanction.

"Ultimately, everyone will have to abide by what the court decides... In a way this is a decision that is against law... Let's wait and see what the court decides next," veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa said.

Asked whether the government was trying to protect Shivakumar, the former CM said: "The law will take its course."

Yediyurappa's son and state BJP President B Y Vijayendra said the cabinet decision is "totally illegal and anti-constitutional".

"It is unfortunate that the cabinet has taken such a decision and the BJP strongly condemns it, and is deciding on an agitation against it," he said.

Stating that the decision is aimed at protecting Shivakumar, who is also the State Congress President, he asked the DCM, "Why are you fearing? Don't you have faith in the law? You have indulged in legal battles for several years now; what made you lose faith in the law today? Why have you taken such an illegal decision through the cabinet?"

"If Shivakumar were honest, as the deputy chief minister he should have opposed this cabinet decision," Vijayendra further said.

"He seems to be somewhere accepting that he has done wrong and seems to have lost faith in the legal process."

JD(S) state President and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy remarked, "This government is there to protect the looters".

The decision was taken by a cabinet, headed by a chief minister who has been a lawyer and taught law to students, he said.

"This government has tried to show that they are above the law, and it is there to protect the looters and not for the poor and needy".

"The DCM has to be appreciated as he has shown magnanimity by not attending the cabinet meeting yesterday," Kumaraswamy said sarcastically, adding that he would raise the issue questioning the cabinet decision, during the upcoming assembly session from December 4.

Shivakumar refrains from commenting on Cabinet move

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar refrained from making a direct comment on Friday about the state cabinet's decision regarding the disproportionate assets case against him.

The State Cabinet on Thursday had held that the sanction given by the previous BJP government to hand over the case against the Deputy Chief Minister to the CBI was "not in accordance with law."

Shivakumar, also the Karnataka Congress chief, stayed away from Thursday's Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The Congress government is now expected to issue an order withdrawing the consent given to the CBI in the case.

"I saw in the paper (newspaper), I could not attend (the cabinet meeting) yesterday. Whoever has to speak on it will speak," Shivakumar said.