BJP MP objects to Shobha's remarks

Taking serious exception to energy minister Shobha Karandlaje’s remarks against the state government that it had failed to prevent atrocities against women in Karnataka, Dharwad MP Prahlad Joshi, who is also the BJP general secretary, at the weekend said that Shobha should come out of the government if she was not satisfied with its performance and actions.

To a query on Shobha’s statement that both CM Jagadish Shettar and home minister R Ashok should be held responsible for the government’s inability to curb crimes against women in the state, Joshi said it was the collective responsibility of the cabinet to run the administration and if there were failures, Shobha was also equally responsible.

“Shobha might have spoken emotionally. However, being a part of the government she should not have spoken like this in public. If at all she is unhappy with the government’s performance, she should resign and say what she wants to,” Joshi asserted.

He said, the BJP would not adopt double standards as far as taking action against those in the BJP charged with corruption. Irrespective of their position in the party and government, the yardstick to treat those charged with corruption will be same, he said.

When asked why deputy CM K S Eshwarappa was not being asked to resign while Yeddyurappa was made to step down, Joshi said in case of Yeddyurappa, a constitutional agency had framed corruption charges against him, while in case of Eshwarappa there were only allegations against the Dy CM.

On Kundgol MLA, S I Chikkanagoudar’s outburst against the MP’s alleged high handedness, Joshi said the MLA was making baseless allegations as he was frustrated after being stripped of the chairmanship of a corporation.

“Chikkanagoudar says, he is in the BJP and at the same breath claims that he attended the KJP meet because Yeddyurappa was his relative. The BJP will not tolerate such things,” he added.

He denied that the district level core committee meetings of the BJP were aimed at countering the KJP. “These meetings are aimed at strengthening the BJP,” he asserted.