A day after the State government decided to withdraw consent given to the CBI to investigate the alleged disproportionate assets cases against Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, the combined Opposition has slammed the decision.
“The government is behaving as if it is protecting thieves. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has worked as an advocate and a law college faculty, but the decision taken in the Cabinet is not appropriate,” former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy told reporters at Ramanagar, near here on Friday. “There are multiple decisions of the Supreme Court. Already, the High Court has twice not accepted the argument of Mr. Shivakumar to quash the CBI investigation. Does the Chief Minister not know about this? When the matter is sensitive and in the court, the government taking such decisions and showing urgency is wrong,” he said.
Stating that the decision is an exhibition to show that they are bigger than the law, Mr. Kumaraswamy said: “These are people who oppose the law. This decision has shown that the government is not in favour of the poor and wants to help those looting.”
Taking a dig at Mr. Shivakumar for not attending the Cabinet meeting, he said: “He has shown large heartedness by remaining outside the Cabinet. The Deputy Chief Minister had convened a meeting of senior advocates three days ago seeking suggestions on ways to protect himself in the case. Let us discuss the issue in the Assembly session.”
When reporters asked if the government had succumbed to Mr. Shivakumar’s pressure, Mr. Kumaraswamy said: “The government is there to work within the law and it is not the question of pressure. It will be difficult to change the order once made. Can the Lokayukta or the local police investigate the case now? Citing the absence of the Speaker’s permission is just an alibi. The court has directed the CBI to continue with its investigation.” He said that: “Mr. Siddaramaiah has the experience of diluting powers of Lokayukta and setting up ACB to cover up illegalities that he has committed.”
BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra said the government had taken the decision to protect Mr. Shivakumar, and that it was not a legally sound development. “Mr. Shivakumar should have opposed the government’s decision from the beginning. It looks like he has acknowledged that he has committed wrong.” The BJP will decide on the future course of action against the decision, he added.
Claiming that the decision taken by the B.S. Yediyurappa government was not politically motivated, he said that the decision to give consent to CBI to investigate was based on primary investigation that proved illegalities. “Along with CBI, Mr. Shivakumar is being probed by IT and ED, and it is wrong for the Cabinet to take a decision now,” Mr. Vijayendra said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Yediyurappa said the BJP legislators would raise the issue during the legislature session in Belagavi.
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BJP to stage a protest today
The Hindu Bureau
BENGALURU:
The Principal Opposition BJP is set to stage a protest in Freedom Park of Bengaluru on Saturday against the State Cabinet’s decision to withdraw the permission granted to the CBI by the then BJP government to probe disproportionate assets case against Congress leader D. K. Shivakumar.
A release by the BJP said that the Saturday’s protest would be led by newly appointed BJP State President Vijayendra and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok. Incidentally, this the first major protest being staged by the party after these appointments.
