BJP leaders in Shivamogga have come down heavily on the ruling Congress government’s decision that the sanction given by the previous BJP government to hand over the case against D.K. Shivakumar to the CBI, ‘not in accordance with law’.
Shivamogga Lok Sabha member B.Y. Raghavendra told the media that the people of the State and the courts would take a strong view of what the State Cabinet had decided on this issue. “An independent body, the CBI, has been investigating the case. The high court also favoured the investigation. The investigation is in the final stage. All of a sudden, the Cabinet takes a decision in favour of a member of the Cabinet. It is an illegal step and the Congress government has set a bad precedent”, he said.
Former minister K.S. Eshwarappa, in a press conference, said the Cabinet’s decision was an insult to democracy. “The Congress is doing what should not have been done just because they won 135 seats in the elections”, he said.
The B.S. Yediyurappa-led BJP government had given the case to the CBI. D.K. Shivakumar had moved the court against the government’s decision, and the high court rejected their appeal. “Now the CBI investigation is in the final stages. Now, the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet has misused its powers”, he said.