2 'rebel' BJP MLAs in Karnataka send reply to party over violation of whip in RS polls
Bengaluru: BJP 'rebel' MLAs S T Somashekar and Arabail Shivaram Hebbar on Thursday said they have sent their reply running into 170 pages, quoting judgements by various courts across the country in such cases, to the notice issued by the party for violating the whip in the recent Rajya Sabha polls.
Hebbar, MLA from Yellapur, did not turn up for the voting, citing health grounds, while Yeshwanthpur MLA Somashekar voted in favour of Congress in the name of ''conscience'', during the polls to four seats of Rajya Sabha from Karnataka on February 27, in an embarrassment to the BJP.
Both of them today together met Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar, but maintained that it was regarding water issues in their respective assembly segments.
''BJP has served notice, we have replied to it, we are waiting for action. We have replied to whatever they had asked. They have issued a one page notice, We have given 170 page replies. We have quoted similar developments throughout India, also quoting court judgements,'' Somashekar said.
Speaking to reporters, he said, the stand BJP had taken in Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and other states have been mentioned in the reply.
''I have pointed out differences in stands taken by the party in Karnataka and other states in my reply,'' he said, adding that he has no disgruntlement with state-level BJP leaders.
Somashekar also expressed his displeasure regarding BJP's Bangalore North candidate and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje.
Noting that his assembly constituency comes under Bangalore North Lok Sabha segment, he said he had no differences with late D B Chandre Gowda and D V Sadanada Gowda who have been BJP MPs from the segment, ''but I myself have to fear to go to my constituency now, as I don't know when the now BJP candidate (Shobha Karadlaje), makes hate speeches or speaks against me.'' ''If things continue like this, a situation may arise for me to meet the police commissioner and seek protection,'' he added, asking ''whether she has come to become MP or to instigate things?''
Hebbar said he too has quoted various judgements of the courts in different parts of the country in his response, which may be a couple of pages less compared to Somashekar's reply. ''Notice issue is same for me and Somashekar, but the only difference is he cast the vote while I was absent.'' Asked whether he will work for BJP in the Lok Sabha polls, Hebbar said the candidate for his constituency (Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha) has not been declared by the party yet. ''Let's see, I will decide after it is announced.''
Somashekar and Hebbar were earlier in the Congress. They were among 17 Congress-JD(S) legislators, who had quit from their parties, which ultimately led to the collapse of the then H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition government in July 2019.
They had subsequently won the bypolls on BJP ticket and served as Ministers in the previous saffron party government.
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Main accused in Delhi Police constable murder shot dead in Sangam Vihar
New Delhi (PTI): A day after the fatal stabbing of a Delhi Police constable, the main accused in the case was shot dead in an encounter with the personnel of the force in south Delhi's Sangam Vihar area, officials said on Sunday.
Constable Kiran Pal was stabbed to death by three people on Saturday while on night patrolling duty in southeast Delhi's Govindpuri area. Two accused -- Deepak Max and Krish Gupta -- were arrested later in that day.
The third accused, Raghav -- who stabbed Pal with a knife -- was hiding in Sangam Vihar, a senior police officer of Special Cell said.
Acting on specific information, teams of NDR of Special Cell and Narcotics Cell of South East District, went to the area connecting Sangam Vihar and Surajkund Road late on Saturday night, the officer said.
The accused was identified and asked to surrender. He, however, opened fire at the police personnel who retaliated in self-defence and injured the accused.
"He was immediately taken to the ESIC Hospital, Okhla, where he died," the officer said.
A pistol with two cartridges have been seized, the police officer said, adding no police official was injured in the encounter.
Constable Kiran Pal, posted at Govindpuri Police Station, was on night patrolling duty when he stopped three people riding a scooty in the early hours of Saturday.
The accused threw stones at the constable to evade arrest but he managed to waylay them by putting his bike in front of their vehicle, the officer said.
The constable also took away the keys of the scooty and started questioning the trio during which the accused stabbed him, the officer added.
