Responding to the recent Cabinet decision to withdraw the government consent given to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into disproportionate caste against Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister C. N. Ashwath Narayan alleged that the Congress government was hiding behind excuses to safeguard Mr. Shivakumar.
“There was no irregularity or violation of law when we [the previous BJP government] gave consent for CBI probe. If we had violated the law, why didn’t they [Congress] raise the issue in the court thus far? If we had violated the law, the case would have been rejected within five minutes in the court. It was not rejected, which means that we had done it as per the provisions of the law. Many governments in the past have attempted to withdraw the cases probed by the CBI. But they have failed. Courts have rejected their pleas. In this case, also, the CBI probe will continue. The truth will triumph. The essence of the case is that he [D.K. Shivakumar] amassed wealth which is disproportionate to his known source of income. He has to answer the question of where he has amassed the wealth,” Mr. Narayan told media persons at a private farm near Kadaganchi village in Kalaburagi district on Saturday.
When asked about senior BJP leaders, especially V. Somanna and Basangouda Patil Yatnal, publicly expressing discontentment against the party’s State leadership, Mr. Narayan said the party leadership would resolve the issues and take everybody along.
“Mr. Somanna has clearly expressed his commitment time and again to working hard to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister of India once again. Whatever the difference, he will remain with us in the party. The party would take him into confidence by hearing his discontentment. Our national leaders are in touch with him. Ups and downs are very much common in politics,” Mr. Narayan said.
To a question on Mr. Yatnal’s denial to meet party State Unit president B.Y. Vijayendra, Mr. Narayan said that differences were common in democracy and his party had enough strength to digest them all.
“Mr. Yatnal has his own views on certain things. He is a senior and strong leader of our party. He has some differences. It is common in democracy. BJP is strong enough to digest them all and move ahead,” he said.
On the ongoing debate on the release of socio-economic survey report, popularly known as caste census, Mr. Narayan said that the survey was not scientific and its release would create more confusion.
“The survey was not scientific. Not every household was reached in the survey. It is a politically motivated exercise. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah doesn’t have any concerns for people. The entire society is contemning his efforts to release the cast census report,” Mr. Narayan said.
