POCSO case: Truth will come out from court; Siddaramaiah will get befitting reply, says Yediyurappa
Mysuru (PTI): Responding to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's statement asking him to retire from public life as he is an accused in a POCSO Act case, veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Friday said the truth will come out when the court decides on the case, and the former will get a befitting reply.
The former chief minister hit back at Siddaramaiah stating that the time for him to retire and go home is approaching, pointing at the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment 'scam'.
"He (Siddaramaih) has to say such things. The time for him to retire and go home is approaching, it is natural for him to say such things about others.
"Who will retire, who will not, we will get to know in the days ahead, when the case is decided by the court in a few days. Let's decide who will retire after that," Yediyurappa said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters here, the 81-year-old leader said, "Truth will come out once the court decides (on the case against me). I won't say anything until then. I feel that after the court order Siddaramaih will get a befitting reply. He is speaking whatever he feels like, let him speak, he has time. People will give him a befitting reply."
Questioning Yediyurappa's "moral right" to demand his resignation in connection with the MUDA site allotment 'scam', Siddaramaiah on Wednesday had urged that the former should retire from public life as he is an accused in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act case.
The case was registered on March 14 this year based on a complaint by the mother of a 17-year-old girl who alleged that Yediyurappa sexually assaulted her daughter during a meeting on February two, at his residence in Dollars Colony in Bengaluru.
The Criminal Investigation Department, which is probing the case, on June 27 filed a charge-sheet against him at the Fast Track Court.
Opposition BJP and JD(S) are on a week-long Bengaluru-Mysuru padayatre (foot march) demanding Siddaramaih's resignation in connection with the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by MUDA, including to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi.
They are scheduled to conclude their protest march on Saturday by holding a mega rally on reaching Mysuru.
A mega convention will be held tomorrow as the padayatre led by state BJP President B Y Vijayendra is reaching Mysuru. The padayatre has got a good response from the people all along, and to "root out this corrupt government", this programme is being held, Yediyurappa said.
"There is a good response beyond our expectation. Public anger against this government is being expressed everywhere. Let's wait and see what will happen in the future," the BJP veteran said.
Accusing Siddaramaiah of getting allotted to his wife a number of "costly" MUDA sites, Yediyurappa, in response to a question about CM's statement that he has done no wrong to resign, said, "the corruption has reached its peak in this government, what he (Siddaramaiah) has done is an unpardonable offence, so we are fighting against it."
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Telangana govt rejects Adani's Rs 100 cr donation for skills university
Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday announced that the state government will not accept the Rs 100 crore CSR donation committed by industrialist Gautam Adani for the Young India Skills University being set up in the state.
The CM's announcement came days after the indictment of the Adani Group chairman in a US court.
In a letter to Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, the state government's Special Chief Secretary (Industries) Jayesh Ranjan said he has been "instructed by the chief minister not to seek the transfer of funds in view of the present circumstances and arising controversies".
While thanking Priti Adani for committing Rs 100 crore to the skills university, the official said the state government has so far not asked any of the donors for physical transfer of funds since the university had not received the IT exemption under Section 80 G. However, the IT exemption order has now been received recently.
Addressing a press conference here, Revanth Reddy said the decision was taken as the Congress government does not want to find itself in any unwarranted controversy amid the allegations against the Adani Group.
He said so far the Telangana government has not accepted a single rupee into its account from any organisation, including Adani Group, for the skills university being established to promote employment avenues for youth.
"I and my Cabinet colleagues do not want to be involved in unnecessary discussions and situations that would dent Telangana's image or my own," Reddy said.
Gautam Adani met the chief minister here on Octrober 18 and symbolically handed over a cheque for Rs 100 crore towards donation to the skills university.
Asked about the comments of BRS that the government should cancel the Adani Group's investment proposals in the state, Reddy said the government will have to take legal opinion for cancellation of any agreements as the other party can go to courts against unilateral termination of pacts.
On BRS working president K T Rama Rao's comments that the previous BRS regime did not allow Adani Group into the state, Reddy displayed photographs of former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and Rama Rao with Gautam Adani to the mediapersons.
He also read out a list of Adani Group's investment proposals reportedly approved by the BRS government.
"Is he (Rama Rao) ready for a probe on these," Reddy asked.
When pointed out that the state government discussed investment proposals with the Adani Group though Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been raising questions on Adani for several years now, he said Congress is not against any investment proposal or corporate house but crony capitalism and violation of rules.
It is his responsibility to follow his leader when the latter is raising his voice on an issue, Reddy said.
