Congress slams BJP minister for pics with 'peddlers'

Bengaluru: Sharing pictures of Revenue Minister R Ashoka with an accused in the drugs case, the Congress in Karnataka on Tuesday said there was a need for leaders from the ruling BJP, who are making allegations against those from other parties, to face the inquiry first.

In a tweet, the state Congress said, "The pictures of R Ashoka with drugs scandal kingpin Rahul Thonshe suggests that it was not a casual meeting, but a close association. There is a need for leaders from the ruling BJP, who are making allegations against those from other parties to cover up their scandals, to be made to face inquiry first."

In the pictures shared along with the tweet, Ashoka can be seen posing for a picture with Rahul along with others at some function.

There are also pictures showing the two feeding each other sweets. The Minister had on Monday denied any links with Rahul.

"I had gone to a naming ceremony function relating to a party worker in my constituency, when a celebrity goes to such events normally several people take such pictures.... it is common such pictures are taken during public functions, so can we be linked? If I had gone to his house it is a different thing," he said.

Ashoka in response to a question said the photo might have been taken some four years ago and since the coronavirus outbreak, he had not attended any such events recently.

Earlier, Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan's name has been linked to the drugs case, following his photos with one Shaik Fazil, who is linked to a casino in Colombo where allegedly such activities take place, emerged. Khan, who has denied his involvement, has said he knew Faizal like several other people, but was unaware of his activities.