Siddaramaiah demands rape case against ex-minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, court- monitored probe
Bengaluru, Mar 22: Former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday demanded in the Karnataka assembly registration of a rape case against BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, who quit as minister recently after allegations that he sexually harassed a woman 'job aspirant', and a court monitored probe.
The Leader of the Opposition claimed the woman in a video message had said she was "utilised" and thus it would amount to rape.
"I demand a rape case under section 376 of the IPC be registered against Ramesh Jarkiholi otherwise we can't do justice to the woman," Siddaramaiah said.
Jarkiholi, BJP MLA from Gokak, resigned as minister on March 3, after a social activist lodged a police complaint alleging sexual harassment to a 'job aspirant' and video clips purportedly showing their intimate moments surfaced.
Rejecting the charges, the BJP leader has claimed innocence, saying the videos were fake and vowed to send the 'conspirators' behind bars.
Social activist Dinesh Kallahalli had withdrawn the police complaint against Jarkiholi.
Raising the issue in the House, Siddaramaiah said "When the victim says she was utilised, it means there was no consent for the act. An act without consent is rape."
He said the police officers who failed to register a case should also face action.
Siddaramaiah charged Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai with writing a note to police based on a statement by Jarkiholi to form a SIT on March 9 without any term of condition though the former minister lodged a police complaint only on March 13 that he was blackmailed using a fake CD.
Intervening, veteran Congress member K R Ramesh Kumar said the complaint of such serious nature lodged by a former MLA on behalf of Jarkiholi should not have been accepted by the police.
Contending that the complaint lodged by Jarkiholi was untenable, Siddaramaiah demanded protection for the woman and a Karnataka High Court monitored investigation by an independent agency and not the SIT.
He also sought the resignation of six Ministers who obtained temporary court injunction against publishing of any defamatory materials against them in the media, including news channels and the newspapers.
"The ministers are under fear which is against their oath of discharging their duties without any fear or favour at the time of assuming office," Siddaramaiah said.
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Everyone should have faith in Shubman, he will win games at World T20: Abhishek
Dharamsala (PTI): Having played alongside Shubman Gill since the age of 12, Abhishek Sharma knows that it is just a matter of time before his currently off-colour best buddy starts winning T20I matches for India, including games in the upcoming T20 World Cup next year.
Gill's selection in the Indian T20I playing eleven has been questioned after a settled Sanju Samson was benched. The vice-captain in the format has managed only 291 runs in 15 innings at a strike-rate of 137.3.
He struck only four sixes in those games and on Sunday against South Africa in the third T20I here, Gill scored a painstaking run-a-ball 28, which didn't matter much since Abhishek (35 off 18 balls) had given the team a rousing start in a chase of a paltry target of 118.
"I'll tell you one thing straight away, that trust me, these two guys are going to win matches in World Cup (in February-March) and in this series as well," Abhishek replied when asked about Gill and skipper Suryakumar Yadav's poor run of form in the ongoing five-match series which India leads 2-1 right now.
When it came to Gill, his closest friend of more than a decade, Abhishek was predictably protective.
"Because I've been playing with them since so long, especially with Shubman, so I know which match he can win, which conditions, irrespective of the team, whoever it is," he said.
"So I have a lot of faith in him from the beginning, and I hope everyone will see him very soon and everyone will have faith in him," added the world's No.1 T20 batter.
Once Abhishek got out at a team score of 60, India needed more than 10 overs to score the remaining runs with both Gill and Surya not able to bat freely.
"There was a bit of help for the fast bowlers, and as I was batting, I knew that if I gave a good start here, the match could get over in the Powerplay, and that's what happened.
"...that was the plan for the rest of the batters, that they would just knock out or finish the match, so it was a very simple plan after that," Abhishek explained the rationale behind taking it easy after a blistering start.
Abhishek said he had to keep in mind that in cold December evenings in this part of the country, the pacers would get movement both in the air and off the surface.
"Conditions of course, I mean, as a batter you have to keep those things in mind that the ball is swinging a bit or it's seaming a bit, so I tried to play a few shots which is suitable for those wickets and pitches, so that's the plan always."
