Sex Scandal: Karnataka govt standing behind Ramesh Jarkiholi, alleges D K Shivakumar
Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar on Tuesday alleged that the BJP government in the state was supporting and standing behind former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, who has been accused of involvement in the sex scandal that has rocked the state politics.
"I have nothing to say on this, it is honourable Minister (former Minister) who is involved, which all of you have seen through your eyes, the government is supporting him..
I don't know why the government is behind him, this also shows police's inability," Shivakumar told reporters in Kalaburagi to a question.
Asked whether SIT has issued any notice to him as he has been named by the woman's parents, he said, "why will it? (SIT issue notice to me).. even if it gives, most welcome, if they call me, whatever I know I will answer. I will cooperate."
The family of the woman in the purported sex video has repeatedly blamed Shivakumar for the sex scandal, accusing him of playing "dirty politics" by using their daughter.
They have accused Shivakumar of keeping their daughter at an undisclosed location and pressuring her to issue statements.
Noting that he doesn't want to comment much on the issue and the law will take its own course, Shivakumar said he wants to focus on the April 17 by-election.
Asked whether there was any pressure on the woman's parents to name him, he said, "let them do whatever they want for their convenience, investigation will happen, I don't want to speak much."
Jarkiholi, who was Water Resources Minister in Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa-led cabinet, resigned on March 3, a day after news channels aired videos of the alleged sex scandal.
While Jarkiholi has repeatedly claimed his innocence and that the video was fake, the woman has accused him of sexually using her, cheating and threatening her after promising a government job.
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'Rear-guard action': BJP over Mamata accepting sports minister's resignation after Messi event
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Tuesday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's accepting Aroop Biswas' resignation as the state sports minister is nothing but a "rear-guard action" to douse public anger over the mismanagement of football icon Lionel Messi's event last week.
BJP co-in-charge for West Bengal Amit Malviya alleged that this is also an "open confession" that the Messi event fiasco was not accidental but a government-manufactured disaster, borne out of the poor governance of Banerjee, her ministers and the state bureaucracy.
Banerjee on Tuesday accepted Biswas' resignation as the sports minister in the wake of the controversy over the mismanagement of football icon Messi's event last week, a senior leader of the ruling TMC said.
Biswas, who had written to the chief minister seeking to be relieved of his responsibilities as sports minister, will continue as a cabinet minister, retaining charge of the power department.
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Reacting to the development, Malviya said in a post on X, "TMC Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigns after the Messi fiasco and Mamata Banerjee accepts it in record time."
"Do not mistake this for accountability; this is nothing but a rear-guard action to douse public anger. anger! This is not 'Raj Dharma'," he added.
The BJP leader alleged that the incident was the outcome of "loot" of common people which is "so synonymous" with the TMC.
The incident was also the outcome of the "shameless VIP culture that TMC thrives on and deep-rooted cronyism promoted by Banerjee," he charged.
Malviya further alleged that Biswas' resignation exposes a "collective failure of Mamata Banerjee, her partisan bureaucracy, and her crony cabinet".
"This is a symbolic sacrifice, a political hoax, soon to be buried under layers of bureaucracy, with no justice, no accountability, and no remorse," the BJP leader said, adding, "No resignation will bring back the time lost, the money wasted, or the stolen chance for football lovers to witness Messi in Kolkata."
