Raj Bhavan Chalo on Aug 31 to demand Guv sanction against BJP-JD(S): DKS

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the Congress party would organise a Rajbhavan Chalo to urge the Governor to give permission to prosecute BJP and JDS leaders facing charges.

“There are pending appeals before the Governor seeking permission to prosecute Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, former minister Murugesh Nirani, Janardhan Reddy and Shashikala Jolle. We are organising a Rajbhavan Chalo seeking sanction against these leaders,” he said, addressing a press conference at KPCC office.

“The appeal of Lokayukta seeking permission to prosecute our ‘Honest Big Brother’ Kumaraswamy in a mining case has been pending with the Governor for some time. The Lokayukta has sought permission to prosecute him after a detailed investigation over a period of 10 years, yet the Governor is yet to give sanction,” he said.

“The Rajbhavan Chalo will start from Gandhi statue near Vidhana Soudha at 10 am and reach Raj Bhavan. The Chief Minister, all minister, Congress MLAs, MLCs and MPs will be part of the rally. We will submit an appeal to the Governor at the end of the rally,” he added.

“The Governor has not given sanction though some BJP-JDS leaders are charge sheeted, but the sanction has been given against the Chief Minister even without preliminary investigation. We have brought to the attention of the Governor that many appeals for sanction from Lokayukta and SITs are pending with him,” he said.

“The Lokayukta SIT wrote a letter dated 21-11-2023 to the Governor detailing the sections under which Kumaraswamy was charge sheeted in illegal allotting of an iron ore mine. The SIT appealed to the Governor for a sanction to prosecute after a detailed inquiry over 10 years, but no sanction has been given,” he noted.

“In the case of former minister Shashikala Jolle, the Lokayukta had sought sanction under Article 17a. Sanction has been sought against former minister Murugesh Nirani too after preliminary investigation. Sanction has been sought against Janardhan Reddy in a disproportionate assets case. In all these cases, preliminary investigation has been completed,” he explained.

“I have heard Kumaraswamy saying that the signature approving mining license was not his. This investigation has been going on for 10 years. If the signature has been forged, why has he not filed a complaint yet?,” he asked.

“Kumaraswamy had even applied for a bail in the case. In the affidavit, Kumaraswamy admits that he had approved mining licence to Sri Sai Venkatesh Minerals. The FIR in the case was registered in 2011 itself. If it was not his signature, why would he apply for a bail in the case?,” he questioned.

“Mister Kumaraswamy, you have taken oath on the Constitution. You can’t say now that the signature is not yours while admitting it in the Court during a bail application. Lodge a complaint if your signature is indeed forged,” he urged.

Asked if the government would conduct an investigation into Kumaraswamy’s allegation that his signature was forged, he said, “Let him lodge a complaint first, we will investigate it then. I don’t know why he is delaying lodging a complaint, he can even file an online complaint. The ‘innocent’ Kumaraswamy has to lodge a complaint on forged signature the same way his government had lodged a complaint against Yediyurappa in 2011.”

The press meet was attended by KPCC Working President G C Chandrashekar, Spokespersons M Lakshman, Women’s Wing President Sowmya Reddy among others.