No end to BJP's harassment, says Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Jan 14: Claiming to be targeted by the ruling BJP, Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar on Saturday alleged there would be no end to the harassment meted out to him in the wake of the recent Mekedatu padayatra.
Also, he hit out at the administration for booking cases against him and other Congress leaders for holding the march in violation of COVID-19 curbs. He said no such action was taken against the BJP leaders for going against the restrictions.
"Whether Mekedatu or not, they are doing all kinds of experiments on me, it's going on. My daughter was telling me that they have started issuing notices to one of our schools --- harassment, there is no end to it. We will have to live and die with it," Shivakumar said in response to a question whether he feels that he would be targeted by the ruling BJP following the Mekedatu padayatra.
Speaking to reporters here, he said cases were booked against him and other Congress leaders everyday during the march while no such action was taken against BJP leaders, including the Chief Minister, who violated the COVID curbs.
"They may put us in jail and feel happy, that's all. Let them...(I'm their) first aim," he said in response to a question whether there was a conspiracy to finish him off politically.
Further asked whether attempts were on to keep him busy with income tax and ED-related cases, with elections approaching, the KPCC chief said that he would speak on the issue along with evidence in a few days.
"...not now, after some days, along with some evidence I will speak...time is approaching to inform people about it. I will place things before them, with papers," he said.
With limited options before it amid surging COVID cases, the government prohibiting movement, and High Court observations, the Karnataka Congress on Thursday had temporarily halt its padayatra from Mekedatu to Bengaluru on its fifth day.
Police have filed four FIRs against Congress leaders, including Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah, for taking out the march defying COVID-19 curbs.
Questioning as to why cases have not been booked against BJP leaders who violated COVID curbs, Shivakumar said, "We will not leave, we will approach the court, also write to the government, seeking booking of cases against all those who violated."
He made it clear that the Congress would target bureaucrats and police officials for not acting against BJP leaders.
Further stating that the Congress would resume its padayatra once the COVID curbs are relaxed, Shivakumar said, "If they (govt) allow 10 people, 10 people will walk, if they allow a 100, 100 will walk...we will have to do it as we have made the commitment."
In response to another question, Shivakumar said let the government respond to activist Medha Patkar and others who have raised environmental and social concerns regarding the Mekedatu project.
"The government is there to answer them, why should I...she (Patkar) is a senior lady, we respect her, Bommai (CM Basavaraj Bommai) is the right man to answer," he said.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
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.
