Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, New and Renewable Energy, Bhagwanth Khuba has said that a farmer from Shirolli village in Chincholi taluk Shivakumar committed suicide after holding Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil responsible for his extreme step and demanded a probe into the matter by the Criminal Investigation Department and Central Bureau of Investigation.
Addressing media representatives in Kalaburagi on Thursday, Mr. Khuba said that Shivakumar’s brother Narasappa was attacked by Congress workers when he was working at his agricultural field and his complaint was not received by the police.
“It is clear that Shivakumar committed suicide because he was harassed. Before committing suicide, he recorded his voice stating that [Minister] Sharan Prakash Patil was responsible for his death.” the Union Minister said.
Stating that attacks on BJP workers have been on the rise after the Congress came to power in the State, Mr. Khuba said that the State government is misusing police to suppress its opponents.
“A BJP leader’s daughter from Ramathirtha was abducted and raped. But an SC/ST atrocity case has been filed against the victim’s family. In another instance, though a BJP leader from Rudnur was attacked, a case was registered against him under IPC Section 307. BJP activists who raised their voice against corruption and irregularities in Madna Gram Panchayat have been booked in SC/ST atrocity cases. The Chief Minister [Siddaramaiah] himself is supporting and encouraging this. It is a democracy and everybody should be treated equally,” he said.
Kalaburagi MP Umesh Jadhav said that the law and order in Kalaburagi district stands disrupted after the Congress assuming power in the State.
“The Deputy Commissioner, the Regional Commissioner, the Corporation Commissioner and other senior officers don’t receive calls. They must be thinking that they are monarchs. [Minister] Sharan Prakash Patil should resign [from the Siddaramaiah Ministry] and the police should book a suo motu case against the Minister,” he said.
BJP leaders B.G. Patil, Vittal Jadhav, Santosh Hadimani, Baburao Hagaragi, Ambaraya Belakota and others were present.
