Government has No Hand in Leaking of Mining Report: C T Ravi
 
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Jul 24: The Lokayukta's report on illegal mining in the state, which has indicted several influential names including that of chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, his ministers and even JD(S) chief Kumaraswamy, was the main issue on the minds of reporters who swarmed the BJP office on the arrival of state party leaders here on Sunday July 24.

Speaking to mediapersons after a meeting of district BJP leaders, C T Ravi, MLA and general secretary of the state unit of BJP said that the decision on ‘change of leadership’ will be taken by the party only after the Lokayukta report is submitted.

He further said that the allegation that the state government was involved in the leaking of the Lokayukta report before its submission was a mere presumption and not the reality. The government has no hand in the leaking of the report, he said, adding that BJP has always had high respect for the Lokayutka institution.

On the issue of phone tapping raised by Justice Santosh Hegde and later by Kumaraswamy, he said, "Phone tapping is a serious crime and strict action should be taken against those indulging in it. This is the stand of our party."
 
C T Ravi said that the Sunday meeting was not held with the intention of discussing election issues, but as part of the state-wide meetings being organised by the party. "Already, meetings in 21 districts are over, and today it was held in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts," he said. The series of meetings covering all districts will be over by this month-end, he added.

However, details of the meeting were not divulged to the media.

Ravi also lambasted governor H R Bhardwaj for trying to destabilise the government yet again. 

However, BJP state president K S Eshwarappa was tight-lipped and refused to speak to mediapersons, but promised that he would hold a press meet during his next visit to the city.
 
District in-charge minister Krishna J Palemar, MLAs Yogish Bhat, Angara, Mallika Prasad, MP Nalin Kumar, zilla panchayat president K T Shailaja Bhat among others were present.