The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday demanded the resignation of Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge and a CBI inquiry into the suicide of a civil contractor from Bidar district on December 26.
BJP state president B Y Vijayendra alleged that the entire police department in and around Kalaburagi district is “under the clutches” of the Kharge family.
“The Kharge family is very powerful, and the state police cannot investigate them, and there is no possibility of impartial investigation,” news agency PTI quoted Vijayendra as saying.
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“Without further delay the chief minister Siddaramaiah should get the resignation of Priyank Kharge. Our second request is, the matter should be handed over to the CBI,” he added.
The party also threatened to lay siege to the minister's father, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence in Kalaburagi if its demands are unmet by state government by January 3
In his suicide note, the contractor accused Priyank Kharge's close aide, Raju Kapanur, of issuing death threats if he could not meet his demand to pay ₹1 crore. The deceased also blamed Kapanur for compelling him to take the drastic step, which the latter had denied.
{{/usCountry}}In his suicide note, the contractor accused Priyank Kharge's close aide, Raju Kapanur, of issuing death threats if he could not meet his demand to pay ₹1 crore. The deceased also blamed Kapanur for compelling him to take the drastic step, which the latter had denied.
{{/usCountry}}Also read | Contractor death: Police book case against Minister Priyank Kharge’s aide, others
Vijayendra alleged that the note also mentioned a “conspiracy” to eliminate MLA Basavaraj Mattimud, BJP leaders Chandru Patil, Manikanth Rathod and a pontiff Siddalinga Swami. “Contract killers were from Maharashtra, which is a very serious matter,” he alleged.
The BJP leader also demanded the state government protect the deceased's family and grant a compensation of ₹1 crore. He added that one of the family members should be given a government job.
What state govt said?
Priyank Kharge, state minister for rural development and panchayat raj, denied having any connection with the case. He claimed that the suicide note did not name him. The minister also demanded an inquiry to find out the “truth” in the case.
Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar hit back at demands seeking the minister's resignation. “We know the integrity of Priyank Kharge, the investigation is going on. No question of anyone resigning. Priyank Kharge is our Dalit leader. It is not possible (to hand over the case to CBI). We know how CBI works. Our police and officials are capable of doing the investigation,”
Karnataka government has handed over the contractor suicide case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Monday.
“The BJP has made allegations against Priyank Kharge in this case. We have handed over the matter to the CID,” state home minister G Parameshwara said.
(With PTI inputs)