Siddaramaiah protecting Lokayukta to save his skin: HDK

Kumaraswamy says Lokayukta is pinning CM down in Arkavathy Layout cases, which is why he is going soft on graft charges against the watchdog

Janata Dal (S) state president and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy today alleged that chief minister Siddaramaiah was reluctant to initiate any action to probe the charges against the Lokayukta as he wanted to appease the Lokayukta.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, he said the Lokayukta was pinning the chief minister down in the Arkavathy Layout cases, and the chief minister in a bid to appease the Lokayukta, was going soft on the allegations of corruption against the watchdog.

Kumaraswamy said he had brought to the notice of the chief minister several times about the corruption going on in the Lokayukta organisation and the CM had deliberately looked the other way.

"The Lokayukta is a statutory body and the Karnataka Public Service Commissioner is a constitutional body. The state government has no powers to take action against members of the KPSC. Yet, it went ahead to probe the charges against the members," he alleged. He added, "The same government was expressing its inability to take action against Lokayukta which is facing serious charges of corruption involving the son of the Lokayukta, Justice Bhaskar Rao. The reason is obvious."

He said, the JD(S) would move a no-confidence motion against the government on Monday when the legislature meets at Bengaluru. The JD(S) has sought the support of BJP and Independents.

"I know we cannot defeat the government as it has the numbers. The purpose is to bring to the notice of the government what the people of the state feel about this regime. The government has failed on all fronts and we are voicing the sentiments of the people," he asserted.

Kumaraswamy said, the monsoon session of Legislature at Belagavi had failed to meet the aspirations of the people of north Karnataka who were expecting the problems haunting the region to be discussed. The government had failed to instil any confidence in the farmers who are committing suicide.

The government has been insensitive to the woes of the farmers and the ministers ridicule the farmers who have committed suicide. Siddaramaiah should sack such ministers immediately, Kumarswamy demanded.

He said the Agriculture Price Commission has been toothless and had failed to deliver the goods. The government has also failed to address the problems faced by farmers in getting the crop insurance compensation, he alleged.

The former CM said that his party would take up programmes to support the farmers' cause and launch agitation from the grass root level.

BSY being hounded

alleged that the state government was acting in a vengeful manner and filing FIR against former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa based on CAG reports. "Observations made in CAG reports are not final. They do not stand legal scrutiny. The government is unnecessarily trying to harass Yeddyurappa" he said.

On why he was sympathetic towards a BJP leader, Kumaraswamy replied that he had worked with Yeddyurappa in the coalition government and it was his culture to stand by the persons who are unnecessarily being harassed.