Amid the row over the death of contractor and BJP worker Santhosh K. Patil in Udupi, the Karnataka Congress leaders on Tuesday demanded the arrest of RDPR Minister K.S. Eshwarappa against whom the deceased had levelled corruption allegations.
Congress workers held protests in many cities across Karnataka with this demand, including at Udupi where he was found dead and where Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was camping on Tuesday.
‘Book Minister under 302’
KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar told reporters: “Patil died after making corruption allegations. An FIR must be filed against Mr. Eshwarappa. He must be arrested under IPC section 302 (murder).” He demanded a time-bound judicial enquiry into the alleged suicide. “A businessman who had publicly alleged that BJP leaders and Ministers were asking for bribes has been suspiciously found dead,” he said.
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanded the expulsion of Mr. Eshwarappa from the Basavaraj Bommai-led Cabinet. “Mr. Bommai as a Chief Minister has failed to take any action against his cabinet colleague. Mr. Eshwarappa is responsible for Patil’s death. He must be arrested,” he said.
‘We will gherao CM’
AICC general secretary Randeep Surjewala said: “I am told he named the Minister in his suicide note. Mr. Eshwarappa must be arrested without delay or else, we will have to gherao the Chief Minister’s house and demand his resignation too.” Mr. Surjewala tweeted, “Dear friends of the BJP, at least show guts to speak for a fellow BJP worker!”
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also took to Twitter and said: “BJP’s 40% commission Govt in Karnataka has claimed the life of their own Karyakarta. The victim’s pleas to the PM went unanswered. PM & CM are complicit. #BJPCorruptionFiles.”
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party has lodged a complaint against Mr. Eshwarappa in Bengaluru’s High Grounds police station. JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy asked how many more lives the BJP Government would claim.
