Karnataka Dy CM blames BJP for MLAs' resignation; former CM Siddaramaiah supports claim
Bengaluru, Jul 2: A day after two Congress MLAs tendered their resignations, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara Tuesday sought to blame the BJP for the development and said a cabinet sub-committee has been formed to look into the issue of land to JSW Steel as flagged by one of the legislators.
Former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah also came out and lashed out at the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that the duo were directly involved in the resignation of the two Congress MLAs and blamed them for the current political scenario in the state.
In a setback to the 13-month-old JD(S)-Congress government, the grand old party's Vijayanagar MLA Anand Singh and rebel legislator Ramesh Jarkiholi, who has been sulking ever since he was dropped from the cabinet last year, sent their resignations to the Assembly speaker.
Singh, a former BJP member who joined the Congress ahead of the May 2018 assembly elections, resigned citing a number of issues, including the decision to sell land to JSW Steel in mineral-rich Ballari district.
The deputy chief minister told reporters, "If land to JSW Steel was an issue then he should have spoken to us. We have constituted a cabinet sub-committee. It has to submit a report to the cabinet."
He, however, clarified that he had not spoken to the two MLAs.
Singh, to a question whether he would withdraw the resignation, had Monday said he would "wait for answers" from the government to his demands.
Parameshwara, a senior Congress leader, blamed the BJP for the present political scenario in the state, alleging that it was 'pressuring' the party MLAs.
"The information we have is that Anand Singh had met some BJP leaders. It means the BJP leaders might have pressured him. Ramesh Jarkiholi has been repeatedly saying he was in touch with the BJP leaders... It is a well known fact that BJP has pressured them," he said.
BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa rejected the allegations and accused the Congress of trying to divert attention from the dissidence it faced.
Meanwhile, state Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, told reporters in Kolar, that Jarkiholi had neither met him to handover his resignation nor spoken to him.
On Singh's resignation, he said it has been received and he would take further action according to rules once he returns.
"No one has sought time from me for meeting, I have not given time to any one," Kumar said.
Jarkiholi had Monday told a local TV channel that he was in Mumbai and had sent his resignation letter through fax and he would personally give it to the Speaker Tuesday. Reports said Jarkiholi is expected to meet the Speaker Wednesday.
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Karnataka Assembly clears 12 bills, including Karnataka Rent Amendment Bill
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The state Assembly on Tuesday passed 12 bills, including the Karnataka Rent (Amendment) Bill.
The objects and reasons of the Rent Bill said that it has been introduced to achieve the principle of "Minimum Government Maximum Governance" by decriminalisation minor offences and rationalization of monetary penalties as envisaged in the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of provisions) Act, 2023.
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The amendment says that if any landlord or tenant fails to present copy of the lease agreement for registration as required under clauses (a) or (b) of sub-section (3) of Section 4 or fails to file the particulars as required under the proviso thereto, he shall on conviction be punishable with a fine up to Rs 2,000 or with simple imprisonment for a month or both. The same is applicable to middlemen involved in it.
The other bills that were cleared are the Karnataka Land Revenue (Second Amendment) Bill, The Greater Bengaluru Governance (Second Amendment) Bill, Sri Malai Mahadeshwaraswamy Kshethra Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, The Chandraguthi Shree Renukamba Kshetra Development Authority Bill and Shree Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority and Certain Other Laws (Amendment) Bill.
The Karnataka Cine and Cultural Activists (Welfare) (Amendment) Bill, Karnataka Labour Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill, Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment (Amendment) Bill, Karnataka State Universities (Second Amendment) Bill, Bayaluseeme Development Board (Amendment) Bill and Malnad Area Development Board (Amendment) Bill were also cleared.
