Karnataka BJP leaders taken into preventive custody after ‘PayCS’ posters emerge against agri min Cheluvarayaswamy

BJP leaders in Karnataka were detained by police after they allegedly put up “PayCS” posters targeting the state's agriculture minister N Cheluvarayaswamy.

Published on: Aug 11, 2023, 13:13:57 IST

By Yamini C S

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Several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Karnataka were taken into preventive custody on Friday after posters targeting the state's agriculture minister N Cheluvarayaswamy surfaced in public places in Mandya district headquarters.

Former Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai with BJP MLAs. (Image for representation purposes only)

Workers from the opposition party allegedly started a “PayCS” campaign (Pay Cheluvarayaswamy) against the Karnataka minister for agriculture and accused him of corruption. This comes in the backdrop of a letter written by seven officers of the agriculture department in Mandya district, accusing Cheluvarayaswamy of demanding bribes from officials. The officials also warned that they will “end their lives by consuming poison” if necessary action is not taken.

ALSO READ | Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah orders police probe over corruption charges against agriculture minister

BJP workers had in this light put up posters near the Sanjay Circle and at a bus stop in Mandya on Thursday and raised slogans against the minister. Shortly afterwards, cops arrived at the scene and removed the said posters, thereby detaining the BJP workers and taking them to the local police station.

The controversy is stoking a slugfest between the ruling Congress government in the southern state and the saffron party. It was earlier also addressed by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who directed the state police to investigate the letter. Cheluvarayaswamy has denied the allegations and called the letter “fake”.

ALSO READ | After PayCM, PayCS posters surface in Karnataka aiming at the agriculture minister

CM Siddaramaiah also questioned whether the BJP or its "brother" - referring to regional party, the Janata Dal (Secular) or JDS - was behind the “fake” letter.

The Karnataka unit of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) has also sought strict action against Cheluvarayaswamy in a letter written to CM Siddaramaiah by the state party president Mukhyamantri Chandru. The letter stated that the people of Karnataka expect a “corrupt free and pro-people” administration from the Siddaramaiah-led government.

(With inputs from ANI)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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