BJP's 'operation lotus' is detrimental to democracy: Siddaramaiah
Chikmagaluru, Jan 16: The BJP leaders have been trying to destabilise the government through ‘Operation Lotus’ which is detrimental to democratic system in the country, said former chief minister Siddaramaiah.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, Siddaramaiah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi who preaches moral lessons to others, has stooped to the lowest level of toppling a government. But he was telling about the party principles. The coalition government has no threat. It would complete its full five years term. BJP people were under illusion and they were offering Rs 25- to 50 crore to attract the MLAs from other parties. Where did they get that amount? Was it not the amount earned through corruption? No MLA would fall prey to BJP’s horse trading strategy. It was a drama. The Congress MLAs have gone to Mumbai on personal works. It was their personal issue, he said.
Did Ramesh Jarkiholi disclose anywhere that he would desert the Congress and join BJP? The BJP has kept 104 MLAs in ‘house arrest’. It was not good for Yeddyurappa and his team. Yeddyurappa who want to become the chief minister overnight has no mandate. No Congress MLAs including Ramesh Jarkiholi have gone anywhere. Everything was just a rumour, he clarified.
“BJP leaders have planned to poach Congress MLAs through ‘Operation Lotus’. In the same way, many BJP MLAs are in touch with us. But we would not do such silly politics. People have not voted the BJP to power. Even then, ever since the coalition government came to power, the BJP people have been trying to establish its government through wicked means.
During every festival, they have been misleading the people saying that they would give a gift. BJP people do not have faith on the Constitution and the democracy”, he said.
In a democratic system, people have given the verdict to the BJP to work as opposition party. Instead of doing their duty as a strong opposition party, the BJP has been trying to get power with all illegal means and offering crores of rupees to MLAs. Keeping the MLAs under house arrest in resorts, the BJP leaders have been misleading the people. Whatever they say, that’s a lie. Media should report their lies, Siddaramaiah said.
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Snake venom case: SC quashes FIR, proceedings against YouTuber Elvish Yadav
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed an FIR and subsequent proceedings against YouTuber Elvish Yadav under the Wildlife (Protection) Act in the snake venom case registered by Uttar Pradesh Police in 2023.
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh said the case cannot be sustained in law as the complaint under the Wildlife (Protection) Act was not filed by an authorised person.
It said that offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) invoked in the FIR against Yadav were based on an earlier FIR registered in Gurugram, in which a closure report has been filed.
Referring to the provisions of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substance Act (NDPS) Act invoked in the FIR against Yadav, the bench said these cannot be invoked as the liquid substance (anti-venom) recovered from the co-accused was not a prescribed substance under the schedule.
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It referred to the earlier decisions of the court and said that the case against Yadav cannot be sustained in law, quashing the FIR and subsequent proceedings, including filing of the chargesheet and cognisance order of the trial court.
The case against Yadav was registered on November 22, 2023, and he was arrested on March 17, 2024, for the alleged use of snake venom at a rave party in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
The controversial YouTuber challenged an Allahabad High Court order refusing to quash the chargesheet and the cognisance order of the trial court, terming it a serious offence.
On August 6 last year, the apex court stayed proceedings in the trial court against Yadav in the case.
The chargesheet alleged the consumption of snake venom as a recreational drug at "rave" parties by people, including foreigners.
Yadav's counsel had argued in the high court that no snakes, narcotics or psychotropic substances were recovered from him and no causal link was established between the applicant and the co-accused.
Though the informant was no longer an animal welfare officer, he filed the FIR showing himself to be one, the counsel had added.
Calling Yadav a "well-known influencer" and someone who appears in multiple reality shows on television, the counsel had said his involvement in the FIR garnered "much media attention".
