BENGALURU: Congress has formed 10 teams that will protest in districts and step up pressure on the government to arrest BJP leader KS Eshwarappa and charge him under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly abetting the suicide of contractor Santosh K Patil.
Patil, who had earlier alleged that Eshwarappa had sought a 40% commission for a Rs 4 crore project, was found dead in a lodge in Udupi on April 12. The day before, he had reportedly sent messages to his friends and reporters saying he would commit suicide and Eshwarappa was to blame.
Eshwarappa agreed to resign on April 14. Congress, which wants him arrested, will organise the protests from April 16-20. The party has planned one in Hospet, where the two-day state BJP executive meeting. The decision is aimed at embarrassing BJP national president JP Nadda, who is attending the meeting.
Senior Congress functionary HK Patil will lead the protest in Hospet and other places in Ballari. “We are not going to gherao any BJP leader but stage a peaceful demonstration,” opposition leader in assembly Siddaramaiah said.
KPCC president DK Shivakumar will lead protests in Haveri, Gadag, Dharwad and Shivamogga. Siddaramaiah will spearhead agitations in Hassan, Mandya, Chikkamagaluru, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru. “We will not rest till Eshwarappa is arrested and sent to jail. We will take the matter to its logical conclusion,” Siddaramaiah said. He reiterated the party’s demand for a high court-monitored probe into the suicide and the allegations that Santosh Patil had made against Eshwarappa. “CM Bommai himself has said Eshwarappa is innocent. So we have no faith in the investigation being conducted by the government,” Siddaramaiah added.
He added the government must file a case under Prevention of Corruption Act against Eshwarappa and arrest him. Congress also said it will give Rs 11 lakh to Santosh Patil’s family as immediate relief from the party. The party demanded the state give his wife a government job apart from Rs 1 crore. “We also demand the government immediately clear the pending bills of Patil to the tune of Rs 4 crore,” Siddaramaiah said.
