Cops will have mandate of probe: K’taka HM on Kumaraswamy, Lokayukta SIT chief tussle

Bengaluru, Sep 30 (IANS) Commenting on the tussle between Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy and Karnataka Lokayukta SIT Chief M Chandrashekar, on Monday Home Minister G. Parameshwara stated that police officers will have a mandate of investigation.

Speaking to reporters on the issue, HM Parameshwara maintained, “The police officers will have a mandate of investigation and SIT has been formed lawfully. They will carry out their duties. If the police work is obstructed, they will have their own procedures to deal with it and they will initiate those steps. I won’t make any further comments.”

When asked about the officer allegedly equating the Union Minister to a pig, HM Parameshwara stated, “The officer has quoted George Bernard Shaw and the statement does not refer to Union Minister Kumaraswamy.”

“Has the remark been made against him? First, we should learn to read properly. If you are able to read and understand the matter, this question won’t arise,” he chided.

When asked about accusations of Congress leaders getting him to write this letter, Parameshwara stated, “He has quoted what Bernard Shaw had stated. Why should we assume that it is referred to us? Why should we understand in that manner? We use a proverb that won’t apply personally. It can’t be taken the way we like it. There needs to be an application of mind.”

Kumaraswamy had lashed out at M Chandrashekar for seeking permission to question the Raj Bhavan staff over the matter of information leak on a confidential file.

He alleged that M Chandrashekar was a criminal and involved in extortion.

In reply to the charges, ADGP Chandrashekar wrote a letter to his staff and refuted all allegations calling them false and malicious.

He concluded his letter by quoting famous playwright George Bernard Shaw; “Never wrestle with a pig because you’ll both get dirty, and the pig likes it.”

HM Parameshwara further commenting on the petitioner in the MUDA case approaching the central agencies, stated, “Let petitioner Snehamayi Krishna complain to anyone. He has approached the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). It will be taken care of by the law. We can’t make comments over it. There is a judiciary and let them take a call.”

“A 197-page judgment is given already in the MUDA case and similarly let them deliver another judgment. Every day there are statements of hatred and old cases in the state. If the situation in public life stoops to such levels, it would be difficult,” he opined.

When asked about the meeting with the Deputy CM, he stated, “I have told Dy CM Shivakumar that I will meet him regarding the Yettinahole drinking water project. The project needs to be expedited and funds released. There is an issue regarding 2,500 acres of land over the project in my constituency.”

Parameshwara stated, “Are we meeting for the first time? Shivakumar is the State President and Dy CM. We need to discuss our problems, who else can do it? We should not see this meeting as political. The government has approved an express canal from Kunigal town to Gubbi town. At the time when the work commenced, it was halted, we discussed it as well.”

“I don’t know about BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal’s statement regarding toppling of the Congress government. You should ask him. I don’t know who has earned Rs 1,000 crore. I don’t know who has mobilised Rs 1,000 crore to destabilise the government. There should be an investigation into this,” he stated.

When asked about the future strategy of the party if central agencies take over the investigation, he stated, “Let the decision be made in the MUDA case on the CBI investigation. Once the decision comes, we will address the issue. When the court gives consent to the CBI, they will also consider that the government has denied permission to the CBI and then they will pass the order. They can’t pass the orders just like that. Many states have this rule and the CBI has to take the consent of the state government. The court will take cognisance of it.”

–IANS

mka/rad