H D Revanna's arrest was as per law: CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday asserted that JD(S) MLA H D Revanna was arrested as per law and government didn't interfere in the matter.
The CM also ridiculed the JD(S) claim that it would one day form the government and take revenge, saying there was no possibility of JD(S) coming to power ever.
Former minister H D Revanna was arrested for allegedly abducting a woman who had accused his son and former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna of raping her. H D Revanna is the son of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.
Responding to JD(S) allegations that Revanna's arrest was unjust, the chief minister said the government neither interfered nor had any scope to interfere in the matter. "Not only Revanna's case. We don't interfere in any case," he said.
Siddaramaiah also asserted that the Congress government acted strictly in accordance with the law and accused the JD(S) of indulging in political rhetoric divorced from reality.
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"We did as per law. Let them also do it as per law when they come to power but they will never ever come to power. Supposing that they come to power... I wonder how 17 JD(S) MLAs can form a government. Can political speeches ever translate into reality?" Siddaramaiah told reporters.
On allegations that officials were given gifts to "fix" Revanna, Siddaramaiah rejected the charge outright. "All these charges are false. Who will give gift?" he asked.
Recently, the police team that investigated Prajwal case was given a reward of Rs 25 lakh, sources in the CID said.
When reporters pointed out that JD(S) claims that it would come to power with BJP support, Siddaramaiah questioned the feasibility of such assertions.
"Will BJP leave the JD(S) to have their chief minister if they get more seats? First of all they will not come to power," he said.
"Despite the BJP and JD(S) joining hands we won 136 seats. We are now 140 members. How will the JD(S) win?" he asked, adding, "When I was the JD(S) president the party had won 59 seats in 2004. Now how many seats have they won? It's just 17." Siddaramaiah asserted that the Congress would return to power in the 2028 Assembly elections.
"We will again come to power in 2028. It's impossible that the BJP and JD(S) will ever come to power despite forming an alliance," he said, adding that the decision on who would head the government would be taken by the party high command.
On governance matters, Siddaramaiah said preparations for the state budget had not yet begun.
"The budget meeting has not started yet. We will start working on it from February 2," he said.
Referring to the World Economic Forum meet in Davos, the chief minister said, "There was a very good atmosphere for Karnataka in Davos. We have very good manpower, both skilled and unskilled. We are offering skill training. Skilled workforce will certainly get a job," he said.
When asked about the Governor submitting a report to the President on the events of January 22, Siddaramaiah said the Governor had merely conveyed what had occurred.
"Let him give it. He has just informed whatever had happened on that day. Article 163 of the Indian Constitution says Governor shall address the House. The word 'shall' has been used. Hence he should have addressed the joint session," he said.
He said the government would provide the Governor with the speech text.
"Tomorrow we will give him our speech copy but it is he who will deliver the speech. Whatever we have given, the same has to be read in the joint legislature meeting," he said.
On the Governor's address scheduled for January 26, Siddaramaiah said there was scope for changes but declined to say whether any revisions would be made.
"There is a scope to change the speech. I have no information whether it will be changed," he said.
Responding to BJP allegations that the state government failed to write to the Centre regarding Karnataka's tableau for the Republic Day parade, Siddaramaiah said the claim was incorrect.
"We have written. What can I do if they don't do it? It is for them to choose. The Centre should include tableau from every state," he said.
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India to bowl first in 3rd T20I vs NZ; Bumrah, Bishnoi to play
Guwahati (PTI): India skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to bowl against New Zealand in the third T20I of the five-match series here on Sunday.
India are leading the series 2-0.
India made two changes bringing in ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi in place of Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy.
New Zealand have drafted in pacer Kyle Jamieson for this match in place of Zak Foulkes.
Teams: India: Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Tim Seifert(w), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner(c), Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy.
