Vokkaliga Sangha says it will fight if injustice happens to Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha on Thursday warned the Congress high command that it will fight vehemently if injustice happens to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is aspiring to become CM.
Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president, belongs to the dominant agrarian community of Vokkaliga.
"During the assembly election, Shivakumar had toiled hard, toured across the state, strengthened the organisation and due to his efforts the Congress got 140 seats and won the polls," Sangha president L Srinivas said at a press conference here.
He said people have been saying that the Congress high command had earlier promised Shivakumar that he will be made the chief minister after Siddaramaiah completes two-and-half years term.
Siddaramaiah had been the CM for five years during his previous stint and now this time, he completed two-and-half years, Srinivas, the former Bengaluru Deputy Mayor, said.
There are doubts whether Siddaramaiah will transfer powers to Shivakumar, he said, adding that ministers and MLAs are touring Delhi in this regard.
"We from Vokkaliga Sangha request the Congress high command to at least give him 'Coolie' (a token of reward) to Shivakumar for the efforts he has put in," the Sangha president said.
Requesting the Congress high command to fulfill the promise made to Shivakumar, Srinivas said the Deputy CM had also spent time in jail for the party.
"No injustice should happen to the disciplined soldier of the Congress party. We from Vokkaliga Sangha on behalf of the Vokkaliga pontiffs assert that we will vehemently fight if injustice happens to Shivakumar," he said.
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RSS man's defamation case against Rahul: Key witness unavailable, hearing adjourned to Dec 20
Thane (PTI): A court in Bhiwandi in Thane district on Saturday adjourned the hearing in the criminal defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker to December 20 due to non-availability of a crucial prosecution witness.
Advocate Narayan Iyer, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, confirmed the adjournment, stating that the witness, Ashok Saykar, currently Deputy Superintendent of Police in Barshi in Solapur, could not remain present due to personal reasons.
Saykar's evidence is now likely to be recorded on December 29.
His testimony is considered key because he, as police sub inspector in 2014, conducted the preliminary inquiry into the private defamation matter under Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
It was on the basis of Saykar's submitted report that the court subsequently issued process (summons) against Rahul Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The criminal defamation case was filed by local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte following a speech given by Rahul Gandhi at an election rally near Bhiwandi on March 6, 2014.
The case stems from the Congress leader's alleged statement that "the RSS people killed (Mahatma) Gandhi."
The matter is being heard by Bhiwandi Joint Civil Judge, Junior Division, P M Kolse.
The hearing had previously been adjourned on November 15 after the complainant's counsel, Advocate Prabodh Jaywant, moved an application seeking permission to examine Saykar, who had submitted the probe report to the court.
The matter was originally scheduled for November 29 but was deferred to December 6 after Rahul Gandhi's legal team sought an adjournment citing their non-availability. The proceedings will now resume on December 20.
