Shivakumar rejects BJP’s demand for excise minister's resignation
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday rejected the BJP’s demand for Excise Minister R B Timmapur’s resignation citing large-scale corruption in his department.
State Home Minister G Parameshwara too said the opposition is not providing any evidence for corruption.
The BJP staged an overnight agitation in the Karnataka Assembly starting from Tuesday night till Wednesday morning. The party also held demonstrations inside the Assembly as the session started.
The agitation was happening when the state government started discussion on replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin) (VB—G RAM G) and its fallout on the rural economy and employment scenario.
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Congress leaders said the BJP was raking up a non-issue and that there was no need for Timmapur to resign.
"There are no evidences, they (BJP) have no issues and they have created all fake issues. They want to keep this issue alive," Shivakumar, who is Congress Karnataka unit president, told reporters here.
The BJP was staging demonstrations to avoid discussion on the MGNREGA, he said.
"They don’t want MGNREGA to be discussed. That is why they are doing some drama. Apart from drama, there is nothing. Let them participate. Let them tell about the concept of what they are doing. They don’t have a voice to say on MGNREGA. On the issue of opposing MGNREGA, they have started (their agitation). They are diverting the issue," Shivakumar said.
Parameshwara said, "We have said very clearly that if you (BJP) have any evidence, then give it to us. Our minister is ready to resign. The minister himself said, ‘Give me evidences, I will step down’."
The BJP was making a mere allegation, he told reporters.
He also said his party too had done the same thing when it was in the opposition, but evidence is a must to take action.
Parameshwara said based on the allegations, Timmapur will not resign. Just because an officer had said something, that was not sufficient for the minister to quit.
According to the home minister, there should be some evidences like taking cash or cheque or receiving gratification through some other means.
"Just making allegations will not suffice. These are allegations. They cannot be accepted unless it is proved," he underlined.
Opposition leader R Ashoka alleged that there was a scam to the tune of Rs 6,000 crore in the Excise Department.
He also alleged that the money was being used by the ruling Congress to fund the party in the poll-bound states.
The allegations come in the wake of the arrest of Excise Deputy Commissioner of the Bengaluru Urban District Jagadeesh Naik and two other officials by the Lokayukta sleuths, while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 25 lakh on January 16.
According to Lokayukta officials, they were accused of demanding Rs 80 lakh to issue CL-7 (Hotels & Boarding Houses) and micro brewery licence.
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BJP's Y Khemchand Singh sworn in as CM of Manipur
Imphal (PTI): BJP leader Y Khemchand Singh was sworn in as the chief minister of Manipur on Wednesday.
Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla administered the oath of office and secrecy to him.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at Lok Bhavan here, hours after the President's rule in Manipur was revoked.
Restive Manipur had been under the President's rule since February last year.
The ceremony was attended by several BJP legislators, senior party functionaries, and top leaders of the NDA in the state.
