The former Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri on Saturday strongly denied the allegations of the Congress government in Karnataka that the erstwhile BJP government had erred by not consulting the Speaker while giving consent to the CBI to probe alleged disproportionate assets case against Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru, Mr. Kageri maintained that the issue of granting consent to the CBI for a probe would not come under the purview of the Speaker. Making it clear that there was no need for the Speaker to give his consent for such a probe, he said: “It is unfortunate that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his government are dragging in the Speaker’s post for an issue where the Speaker does not have any jurisdiction. Actually, it is an unpardonable crime that the State Cabinet has taken a stand that giving such consent for the CBI is not in accordance with the law by wrongly citing that the Speaker’s approval was not taken then though the Speaker does not have anything to do with it.”
Alleging that the Cabinet’s decision was not in tune with the dignity of the parliamentary system, he said it had made the State bend its head in shame before the country. Condemning the Cabinet’s decision, he also questioned its timing as it had come at a time when the CBI and courts were getting ready to file chargesheets against Mr. Shivakumar.
Pointing out that Mr. Siddaramaiah had long years of political experience, Mr. Kageri alleged that the Chief Minister should go by his experience and conscience while making such decisions. The questionable decision of the Cabinet had indicated that Mr. Siddaramaiah might be working under some pressure, he said, and urged him to desist from succumbing to pressure.
