Davanagere (KTK) (PTI): Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday said the BJP national leadership will decide whether to take action against senior party MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who has been publicly making statements and allegations against party's state leaders.
He also urged partymen and leaders to raise their issues with national president J P Nadda or other central leaders and stop airing their concerns in public or before the media.
"He (Yatnal) is a sitting legislator, our national president and national unit will decide on whether to call and talk to him or take action," Joshi said in response to a question whether there will be any action against Yatnal.
ALSO READ: BJP MLA Yatnal accuses Yediyurappa of misusing Rs. 40,000 Cr during pandemic
Yatnal, a former union minister and a known bete noire of former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has been publicly making allegations against the veteran leader and his son B Y Vijayendra for some time now. He had even openly criticised the party's decision to appoint Vijayendra as its state president.
Yatnal had recently alleged that funds to the tune of Rs 40,000 crore was misappropriated at the time of Covid-19, during the previous BJP regime, under the leadership of then Chief Minister Yediyurappa
A section of party leaders have been demanding action against Yatnal.
Responding to another query about voices in the party that Yediyurappa camp has had an upper hand with respect to appointment of state office bearers, as his confidants have been appointed, Joshi said, "everyone in the party belong to BJP, and there is nothing like -- someone is close to someone, while others are not."
"If anyone has any issues or concerns they can bring it to the notice of the state president, and if it cannot be shared with the state president, it can be discussed with the national president. Instead, making open statements will not be good for the party. I want to tell all those making public statements that if they consider the party's interest, stop making open statements; it's not right," he added.
Noting that the party's national leadership has newly appointed a young state president (Vijayendra), Joshi, a Member of Parliament from Dharwad constituency, said, the appointment was made by the national president in consultation with the PM and other leaders, and it's the decision of the central unit of the party.
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Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
