Bengaluru: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit has decided to launch a week-long state-wide agitation demanding the resignation of Energy Minister D K Shivakumar and Minister for Small-Scale Industries Ramesh L Jarkiholi.
“We will launch the agitation from Friday. We demand Chief Minister Siddaramaiah drop the ministers D K Shivakumar and Ramesh L Jarkiholi from the Cabinet in the view of the recent raids by the Income Tax department officials on their residences and offices,’’ BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa told reporters here on Monday.
The BJP state president alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has hatched a plan to save and protect corrupt ministers by not seeking their resignations. “Siddaramaiah government has become a synonym for corruption. It has earned the epithet of being the most corrupt government in the country. Siddaramaiah has become an expert in getting clean chits for those ministers who have been charged for various misdemeanors,’’ Yeddyurappa said.
According to him, the BJP also demands the state government to waive agricultural loans availed from cooperative societies, banks and also public sector banks. “Maharashtra government has waived off loans worth Rs 34,000 crore while Uttara Pradesh government has announced the waiver of agri loans worth Rs 36,000 crore. I want to ask why Siddaramaiah has not taken a decision to waive agri loans up to Rs 1 lakh or Rs 1.50 lakh instead of a meagre amount Rs 50,000,’’ he asked.
On Mahadayi river water dispute, the BJP state president blamed the Congress government in Karnataka for complicating the issue by approaching the Supreme Court for the constitution of a tribunal. “State BJP has been in touch with the Chief Ministers of Goa and Maharashtra on the Mahadayi river dispute. I will lead a delegation to Goa and Maharashtra to find an out of court settlement for the Mahadayi river dispute in the interest of people in North Karnataka,’’ he said.
As far as the protests are concerned, the BJP activists will stage protest, dharna and take out bike rallies, torch-light procession at taluk and district headquarters. “Memorandum will be submitted to the Governor, the Deputy Commissioners, and tahsildars,’’ he said.
