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Kumaraswamy urges CM to sack agriculture minister over Karnataka bus driver’s suicide attempt
In a widely circulated video on social media, HR Jagadish, the KSRTC bus driver allegedly consumed poison at the Nagamandala bus depot in Mandya district on Wednesday, accusing Chaluvarayaswamy for his transfer to Maddur depot
Former chief minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday demanded the expulsion of state agriculture minister N Chaluvarayaswamy from the cabinet after a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus driver allegedly attempted suicide over his transfer, alleging that it was at the behest of the minister.
In a widely circulated video on social media, HR Jagadish, the KSRTC bus driver allegedly consumed poison at the Nagamandala bus depot in Mandya district on Wednesday, accusing Chaluvarayaswamy for his transfer to Maddur depot. He has been shifted to Manipal Hospital in Mysuru for treatment.
While talking to the media, Kumaraswamy on Thursday said, “Congress MLA Chaluvarayaswamy is targeting JD(S) party workers in Mandya district.Whoever is against MLA Chaluvarayaswamy is being targeted. There have been politics of hate and nepotism in Nagamangala constituency. After the assembly elections, there have been three to four incidents of such suicides in Nagamangala taluk. The officers in the taluk are facing transfer threat.”
“It had not been a month since the election result and the minister had begun politics of hatred against Jagadish. We have been supporting JD(S) for many years. The minister has given bizarre reasons for the transfer of my son, which is why he tried to die by suicide. Now, he is fighting between life and death. Even my daughter-in-law is a JD(S) supporter and is a member of the village panchayat,” Rajegowda, Jagadish’s father said.
The Congress government ordered a probe into the KSRTC driver’s suicide attempt on Thursday for being transferred from his home depot, after he named Agriculture Minister N Chaluvanarayanaswamy in his suicide note.Home minister G Parameshwara informed the legislative Assembly that a senior police officer will be appointed to probe the suicide attempt and even the transport department will be involved. “The report will be the submitted to the government,” Parameshwara said.
Following the incident, some of the KSRTC staff protested and stopped the bus services in Mandya’s Nagamandala on Thursday.
Manjunath, associate superintendent of Nagamandala depot, however, said that Jagadish was transferred after he indulged in a fight with a woman passenger last week. “This was brought to the attention of the minister and he ordered the transfer. We had asked Jagadish to take the transfer letter. But he refused the letter and later consumed poison,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy alleged that the minister has a follower who was not on good terms with the driver’s family. “He was forcing Jagadeesh’s wife, who is a gram panchayat member, to support Congress,” he said.
“Politics of hate has already begun with the Congress coming into power in Karnataka. Transfers are common when a new government comes to power. But money is involved in major transfers. Money (YST tax) is collected for transfer of officials recommended by Congress MLAs,” Kumarswamy further alleged.
The JD(S) leader further urged the chief minister to protect the people of the state and expel the minister and conduct a probe. “A probe cannot be carried out unless he is removed as minister,” Kumaraswamy said.
Responding to the media queries on Kumaraswamy’s demand, Siddaramaiah on Thursday, said that “he would look into the issue.”
Chaluvarayaswamy has meanwhile denied his role in the matter. “Transfers are a routine process. I have not issued a letter or asked anyone to transfer him,” he said.
