Contractor suicide: K'taka Minister Priyank Kharge dismisses BJP's charges against him

Bengaluru, Dec 28 Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday dismissed allegations levelled by the BJP against him in connection with the suicide of a contractor.

Addressing the media at his residence in Bengaluru, Minister Kharge stated, "There are two versions for the suicide. While the contractor is suggesting one thing, the accused have also brought out another aspect of the entire incident."

"Let there be a free and fair probe. I myself have requested the Home Minister to constitute an independent authority within the Home Department to investigate the matter," he said.

Quite naturally, the BJP thinks it has found reasons as it has been trying to get my resignation for over a year for frivolous reasons. Neither me, neither my department nor the government is involved in the incident, Kharge clarified.

"I have had word with the concerned minister but he is not in Bengaluru now. Once he is back, I will discuss it with him," he said.

When asked about the BJP's demand for his arrest, Kharge stated, BJP doesn't understand the law. "I am an accused? Does the BJP know what the law is? Does it understand the law of the land? On what basis are they asking for my arrest?" he questioned.

Is my name mentioned in the case, has it been alleged that I had caused abetment to suicide? The BJP just want to pursue politics and their intention is clear. They want to hide internal problems, Kharge claimed.

"Former CM B.S. Yeddyurappa is involved in the POCSO case. There are BJP MLA N. Munirathna, and BJP MLC C.T. Ravi cases. There is internal strife as well and they want to cover this," Kharge stated.

"It's not today, Priyank Kharge is their favourite. I have a strong ideology which is against their political masters. Hence, it is quite natural that they are targeting me," he said.

They have not been able to pin one thing on me for the last many years. They don't come with facts, proof and documents. Show me one thing where I accused the BJP without documental proof. The BJP always does hit and run and this is also hit and run, Kharge stated.

"I dare them to prove charges on me. There are eight people who are accused. One of them is our Congress corporator's brother. It is a fact that I cannot deny. That doesn't mean that I am involved in everything," he stated.

The accused are saying there was a money transaction from the bank and it is a legal transaction. There is no ambiguity about the money transfer. Let further details come out in the investigation, he said.

The BJP can protect anywhere in Karnataka including Kalaburagi. Former Minister K.S. Eshwarappa's resignation was taken in different circumstances. The suicide note mentioned his name and he was directly blamed, Kharge stated.

Karnataka BJP has dubbed the Congress-led government as a government of killers in the backdrop of the suicide of a contractor in Kalaburagi district allegedly due to the torture by a close associate of Minister Priyank Kharge.

Opposition leader in the Karnataka Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, accused Kalaburagi district in-charge minister Priyank Kharge of abusing his power and demanded his resignation and arrest in connection with the suicide case of the contractor.

He further attacked that the Kharge family is running a republic in their native Kalaburagi.

Sachin, a 26-year-old contractor on Thursday committed suicide in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district following the alleged threats to his life and extortion by one aide of Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge.

The deceased contractor has left a seven-page suicide note and alleged that Minister Kharge's aide and Kalaburagi City Corporation's former member Raju Kapanuru's atrocities forced him to take the extreme step.

Source: IANS