Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday yet again attacked the Congress amid protests over the death of a contractor this week that has prompted the state minister, KS Eshwarappa, to announce that he would step down. The 73-year-old minister on Thursday said he would quit amid the growing opposition pressure.
As the Congress held an overnight demonstration at the Vidhana Soudha, the chief minister, in his latest remarks, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI: “Eshwarappa has decided to resign on his own, and will tender his resignation today evening. No need for the opposition to become an investigation officer or judge as everything will come out after the probe.”
His comment came as Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar held a night-long protest at the state assembly along with other party colleagues.
Santosh Patil, a contractor, was found dead in Udupi on Tuesday. In a purported suicide note he had blamed the minister “directly” and his aides for his death. He was said to be harassed over bribes.
The Congress has said the minister’s resignation won’t be enough. “Resignation is not a solution. A case of corruption has to be registered, then he (Eshwarappa) has to be arrested (in connection with the death case of contractor Santosh Patil)...,” DK Shivakumar told reporters.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress has said the minister’s resignation won’t be enough. “Resignation is not a solution. A case of corruption has to be registered, then he (Eshwarappa) has to be arrested (in connection with the death case of contractor Santosh Patil)...,” DK Shivakumar told reporters.
{{/usCountry}}“His (contractor Santosh Patil) mother, wife, brother, everyone has alleged that he was tortured and was asked for a 40 per cent commission; where's the FIR on that?... our agitation is not on behalf of DK Shivakumar or the Congress, it's the voice of Karnataka,” he added.
An FIR was filed against Eshwarappa and two of his aides on Wednesday. “Under the government led by Basavaraj Bommai, I have worked as a minister till today. Today, I have made a decision that I will resign from the post of minister tomorrow (Friday),” the minister said on Thursday evening.
(With inputs from ANI)