CM Basavaraj Bommai protecting Eshwarappa: Congress

Accusing the Karnataka government and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai of trying to protect Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa, the opposition Congress on Friday demanded his arrest and that he should be booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The opposition party also urged that an impartial investigation be conducted by the police under the supervision of a sitting judge of the Karnataka High Court.

Eshwarappa, against whom police have booked a case for allegedly abetting the suicide of contractor Santosh K Patil, submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai later on Friday evening, as a political furore erupted over the issue.

The Congress that has found a fresh ammunition against the ruling party ahead of the assembly election next year, has formed nine teams, and each team will be travelling to at least two to three districts, to inform people regarding “40 per cent commission and rampant corruption” under the current BJP government.

The party that staged an overnight protest at Vidhana Soudha said it later plans to take its protests to assembly constituency level, to bring to the notice of the people that “Karnataka has been turned into the capital of corruption” by the BJP.

The Congress also plans to hold a protest rally at Hospet in Vijayanagara district, where the ruling BJP state executive committee meeting is slated to be held to be held under the leadership of its national President J P Nadda.

“There is a categorical allegation in the complaint, Santosh Patil has also said it before the media. Despite this, an FIR has not been registered under Prevention of Corruption Act purposely... cases have been registered only for abetment,” Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah said.

Speaking to reporters here, Siddaramaiah said there is deliberately a clear omission on the part of the state government and the police.