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Charge Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy with sedition for calling revolt, demands BJP
The BJP has asked the police to book the chief minister under charges of attempting to wage war against the government of India and sedition among others.
A day after Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy appealed to the people to revolt against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), BJP leaders filed complaints with the police and also submitted a memorandum to the governor seeking Kumaraswamy be charged with sedition.
On Thursday, Kumaraswamy had sparked of a row after he appealed to the people of the state to revolt against the BJP in protest against its alleged bid to topple the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government.
Condemning the statement, the BJP held protests across the state and demanded that the chief minister resign for his comments. In a complaint submitted to director general of police Neelamani Raju, the BJP said: “HD Kumaraswamy, the chief minister, having taken oath under the Constitution, is required to uphold the Constitution and the unity and integrity of the country…”
The BJP has asked the police to book the chief minister under charges of attempting to wage war against the government of India and sedition among others. Party leaders also submitted a similar memorandum to governor Vajubhai Vala.
BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje said Kumaraswamy occupied a constitutional post and had yet called for a revolt. “He has called for revolt and this is why we have protested. He is disturbing peace in the state and instigating the people and supporting such calls. This is why we have filed the complaints,” she said while addressing the press here.
The JD (S), meanwhile, submitted a letter to assembly speaker KR Ramesh Kumar saying that the BJP had been behaving unconstitutionally over the past month by attempting to destabilize the coalition government. “State BJP president and opposition leader in the assembly, BS Yeddyurappa has stated the coalition government will topple on many occasions in public meetings and to the media,” the letter says.
The party has claimed that at least 10 legislators belonging to the Congress and JD(S) had been approached by the BJP with promises of monetary rewards for switching loyalties. “You will have to prevent instances of MLAs offering their resignations tendered either under duress, political influence or even because of monetary inducements,” the letter said, asking the speaker to take up criminal proceedings against all those indulging in such activities.
