'Kumaraswamy will tolerate things as long as he can': Minister H.D Revanna
Bengaluru, Dec 28: Discontent within the ruling coalition in Karnataka has once again come to the fore, with senior JD(S) minister H D Revanna Friday saying his brother and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will "tolerate things as long as he can".
The PWD minister also hit out at the Congress for reportedly taking away the home department from a SC leader like G Parameshwara, who is also the deputy chief minister.
"Kumaraswamy will tolerate as long as he can, but one day what will happen? We are not sitting here fearing (about losing power)," Revanna told reporters here in response to a question about a Congressman expected to be appointed as the chief minister's political secretary.
Asked whether he was saying that the chief minister was tolerating despite Congress's 'high handedness', he tried to evade the question, saying the party leadership decides all issues and he will not interfere.
"Why should I say there is lack of coordination between JD(S) and Congress. Everything will be discussed and decided by JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda, chief minister, Congress leaders and their general secretary KC Venugopal," he added.
Revanna's remarks have come at a time when JD(S) workers and local leaders have asked the leadership to contest all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the coming parliamentary polls, unhappy over the Congress's attitude towards the ruling coalition in Karnataka.
Expressing displeasure about Parameshwara reportedly being moved out of the Home Ministry, Revanna rubbished the reports blaming him for it.
He, however, indicated that some people within the Congress party were behind it.
"I know what kind of pressure Parameshwara was under from his own party. Parameshwara is from the SC community, what (wrong) did he do as home minister? Was it necessary to remove him from the post? As deputy chief minister, he should have both," he said.
Pointing out that Parameshwara has toiled for Congress for eight years as its president and done good work as Home Minister for six months, Revanna said he has great respect for him.
"Why they (the Congress) did it? What are the reasons behind it? I don't know, but I had never interfered in his department. If any issues were there from my district I have discussed, that's all," he said.
He said if Parameshwara's party cannot tolerate a SC community leader as deputy chief minister, "What can I say?"
"Why blame me for his removal as home minister? Why allege that he was listening to brothers (Kumaraswamy and Revanna), so he was removed? What do we have to do with his removal?" he questioned.
As per the recommendation sent to Chief Minister Kumaraswamy by Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal, the Home Ministry has been allocated to M B Patil, who was inducted into the cabinet on Saturday.
According to reports, the meeting between top party leaders here on Wednesday to decide on portfolios was not cordial, as Parameshwara expressed displeasure over being asked to give up some key portfolios, especially home ministry that he has, by Siddaramaiah.
However, both Siddaramaiah and Parameshwara had rubbished the reports they had squabbled over the issue.
Revanna has been constantly accused by the Congress of interfering in other ministries.
Recently several local level leaders of the Congress party had petitioned CLP leader Siddaramaiah about alleged ill-treatment to them under coalition government and working style of a few JD(S) ministers, especially Revanna.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
