Siddaramaiah blames former Karnataka Minister K.S. Eshwarappa for clashes in Shivamogga

Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah accuses former Minster K.S. Eshwarappa of instigating people against each other

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has alleged that former Minister K.S. Eshwarappa is responsible for communal clashes in Shivamogga.

Addressing a media conference in Shivamogga on October 29, Mr. Siddaramaiah said Mr. Eshwarappa had been engaged in instigating people against each other. “Soon after the murder of Harsha, a Hindutva activist, earlier this year, Mr. Eshwarappa led a protest march violating Section 144. He led the march with the body when he was a Minister. He is responsible for disturbing peace and order in the district,” he said.  

Referring to the recent CBI report on the death of Paresh Mesta in Uttar Kannada, the former CM said the BJP created a ruckus in the legislative Assembly over the death. “I handed over the case to the CBI when the BJP was in power at the Centre. Now, the CBI has concluded that his death was an accident. Did the BJP hand over any case to the CBI during their rule between 2008 and 2013?”

Earlier, he said, the BJP called the CBI, the ‘Congress Bachao Institute’. “What will the BJP call the CBI now?”

On the enhancement of reservation for SCs and STs, Mr. Siddaramaiah said Minister for Transport and Tribal Welfare B. Sriramulu had promised that Justice Nagamohan Das’s report on reservation for SCs and STs would be implemented within 24 hours of the BJP coming to power.

“Did he keep his promise? The committee was formed during the rule of JD(S)-Congress coalition government when Priyank Kharge was the Minister for Social Welfare. The committee submitted its report on July 2, 2020. It’s recommendations are being implemented now after discussing them with leaders of opposition parties,” he said.

He claimed that the State Government implemented the report only after the seer of Valmiki Peetha staged a dharna for 257 days. The Congress party had raised the issue several times in the Legislature. “Our members staged a protest on the floor of the House for implementation of the report. Did any BJP legislator support the protest?”