Lokayukta raids places of 5 government officials in disproportionate assets case
Bengaluru (PTI): The Lokayukta sleuths on Tuesday raided multiple locations linked to five government officials who are accused of amassing wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income.
According to the Lokayukta officials, the raids were carried out in Hassan, Chikkabalapura, Chitradurga and Bengaluru.
The officers who came under Lokayukta's radar are Jayanna R, Executive Engineer, NHAI Division, Hassan; Anjaneya Murthy M Junior Englneer, Rural Drinking Water and Sanitisation Department Chikkabalapura; Dr Venkatesh, Taluk Health officer, Hiriyur, Chitradurga; N Venkatesh, Revenue Officer, BBMP Dasarahalli sub-division, Shettihalli in Bengaluru; and K Om Prakash Senior, Assistant Horticultue Director, BDA Head Office in Bengaluru.
The Lokayukta officials taken note of lavish bungalow of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palilke (BBMP) Revenue Officer, Venkatesh in the city.
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Governor’s speech row: CM Siddaramaiah cites “Vartha Bharathi” editorial in assembly
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday cited an editorial published in the Kannada daily Vartha Bharathi during the Assembly session. The Chief Minister was responding to a debate in the assembly held over the Governor's address to the joint session of both Houses of the State Legislature.
On January 22, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot declined to read the customary address prepared by the government and made a two-line address before walking out on the first day of the State legislature session, triggering a major political row.
After the House reconvened following the lunch break, Speaker U.T. Khader gave CM Siddaramaiah the opportunity to respond to the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address. In his reply, the Chief Minister said the Governor left in haste without reading the full speech prepared by the government. He also pointed out that the Governor did not include the phrase “Jai Samvidhana” (Hail Constitution) and did not wait until the completion of the national anthem, stating that such conduct was inappropriate.
Referring to editorials published in various state dailies, the Chief Minister specifically cited Vartha Bharathi’s editorial dated January 23.
He said Governor Gehlot’s conduct during the January 22 session was not in keeping with the dignity of the constitutional office. Qouting the editorial the CM said, “the Governor appeared to act as though decisions and resolutions of the elected government required approval from him or the Central government, undermining the federal structure. Such actions violated the spirit of the Constitution and further fueled the already existing conflict between the Centre and the state."
Is Vartha Bharathi part of the government's cabinet? : V. Sunil Kumar
In the meantime, BJP MLA V. Sunil Kumar intervened the CM and questioned whether Vartha Bharathi was part of the government’s Cabinet.
Siddaramaiah responded saying, “no representatives of the newspaper were associated with the Congress party.”
Supporting the CM's statement and taking a jab at the BJP MLA, Minister Byrathi Suresh added, “None of Vartha Bharati’s representatives are there in our Cabinet. The editor of another newspaper was a member of your (BJP) party.”
