Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi has dismissed Janata Dal(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy’s allegation that money from the drug mafia was used to dislodge his government, as ridiculous.
“I feel like laughing at such allegations. Does he mean that the drug mafia was active when he was Chief Minister?” he asked.
“What was he doing as Chief Minister then? Why did he not take action to end it [drug mafia]? Was he not listening to Intelligence inputs? Did he or did he not instruct police officers to end the menace?,” Mr. Savadi questioned.
“If what Mr. Kumaraswamy is saying is true, then he was unfit to be a Chief Minister. He should realise that,” the Deputy Chief Minister told journalists at the Sambra airport here on Thursday.
He reiterated his party’s stand that actor Ragini, who was arrested in a drugs related case in Bengaluru, was in no way connected to the BJP. “She volunteered to campaign for some of our candidates. Several film stars campaign for various parties. It does not mean they are members of those parties,” he said.
He brushed aside suggestions that the police would be lenient towards Ragini as she was associated with the ruling BJP. “We are committed to ending the drug menace and taking action against all those associated with it,” he said.
Reacting to images of Ragini sharing the stage with several BJP leaders, he said that was no proof that the BJP was connected with the drug mafia.
“There are images of some members of the drug mafia posing with Congress leaders D.K. Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, and also Mr. Kumaraswamy. That some of them could be involved with members of the drug mafia was known neither to them nor to us,” he said.
