K'taka: Irked by portfolio allocation, minister shuts down office, CM Bommai says will talk to him
Bengaluru: With sulking Tourism Minister Anand Singh shutting down his MLA office in Hospet in Vijayanagar district allegedly to show his displeasure over the portfolio allocation, Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai on Wednesday said he would speak to him.
"Me and Anand Singh are friends for three decades. We are continuously in touch. Yesterday I spoke to him. Today also I will speak to him. I am aware of his views and I too have conveyed my views. Everything will be set right after he comes and speaks to me," Bommai told reporters here.
Sources close to the Minister said he is keen on getting the forest department which he held in the previous B S Yediyurappa government, along with energy portfolio.
"Against his wish, he was given tourism, ecology and environment portfolio", they added.
When asked whether Singh has tendered his resignation when he met him recently, Bommai said, "... we only had a conversation. He has not done so (resigning)."
He exuded confidence that everything will be fine "towards the end".
Bommai acknowledged that Singh has explained to him all the issues involved and would discuss with him again. "Again I have to speak to him. I am calling him for discussion. Everything will be fine,"
About the possibility of changing his portfolio, Bommai wondered how can he tell media what he would be going to do.
When he was told about Singh's purported statement that he will not "bow down", Bommai said Singh may say anything but he will have to speak to him to take a decision accordingly.
"I have asked him (Anand Singh) to come today; tomorrow I will not be available or he can come day-after-tomorrow. Let him come according to his convenience," the Chief Minister said.
Bommai denied having spoken to the party central leadership on the issue. Regarding another sulking minister N Nagaraj (MTB), Bommai said he has spoken to him and there is no problem with him.
After Yediyurappa resigned on July 26 coinciding his two years in office, Bommai succeeded him as Chief Minister on July 28 and on August 4, he expanded his cabinet with 29 ministers. He retained most of the ministers in Yediyurappa government barring a few who were dropped including senior BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar.
Meanwhile, minister V Sunil Kumar, who was allocated Energy, Kannada and Culture department has not yet taken charge of Energy portfolio.
Kumar said he would take charge three days later.
When reporters told him that Anand Singh has been "adamant" on getting an energy portfolio and has reportedly contemplated resigning, Kumar said, "I don't know about other issues. Ask me only about the Kannada and Culture portfolio. I have taken charge of the Kannada and culture portfolio today. I will take charge of the energy department after three days."
Nagaraj, who had accepted the decision of the Chief Minister, told reporters on Wednesday that Bommai had promised him to change his portfolio and he has faith in him.
Barely a fortnight after Bommai took over as CM, dissidence seems to be growing among a section of BJP MLAs and ministers over the cabinet expansion.
Sources in the BJP said MLAs S A Ramadas, Abhay Patil, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Narasimha Naik alias Raju Gouda, M P Renukacharya, Arvind Bellad, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and Umesh Kumathalli are among those sulking over denial of ministerial berth to them.
Meanwhile, Anand Singh visited an ancient temple and performed special prayers. Sources close to him said that he had performed a similar 'pooja' when he decided to resign from the Karnataka Assembly as Congress MLA two years ago to join the BJP.
He was among the 17 Congress and JD (S) MLAs, who were disqualified. Later, 16 of them joined the BJP and all of them became legislators. A majority of them became ministers.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
