Bangalore: Somanna Awaits Police Report on Chappal Thrower
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Oct 4: Karnataka Housing Minister V Somanna, who was ''Chappaled” in Vidhana Soudha as he was coming out of his official chambers on the third floor on Saturday by a Sangh Parivar activist on last Saturday, said he was eagerly awaiting the police investigation into the entire incident.
''I want to know the truth. I am interested in finding out the person or persons, who were responsible for instigating or motivating the BJP youth to attack me,” he said.
The BJP worker B S Prasad, who hit the minister with his right foot chappal, had met the minister about 8 to 10 days back and had submitted a memorandum seeking some favourable action, Somanna claimed.
The minister, who spoke to reporters in his chambers on Tuesday, said he was interested in knowing the police inquiry report.
''I don’t want to comment against any leaders,” he said when asked about Home and Transport Minister R Ashok’s contention contradicting his own assertion that there was a police security lapse which resulted in the incident.
Ashok had claimed that there was no security lapse at all as the BJP worker entered Vidhana Soudha in the normal course.
The police had immediately overpowered the attacker and reportedly subjected him to a thorough interrogation. There are reports that the BJP worker had some mental problems. But no official confirmation was available.
The attacker B S Prasad is said to be a civil contractor owing allegiance to BJP. He is said to be a resident of Ganganagar near Hebbal. He reportedly nursed a grievance against Somanna for not fulfilling his promise to get him nominated to a state-level board, probably Karnataka Housing Board.
The incident of the BJP worker hitting Somanna with chappals gained wide publicity as it happened inside Vidhana Soudha itself unlike other similar incidents of chappals being hurled against political leaders. In fact, even Union Home Minister P Chidambaram was targeted similarly. But the chappal hurled against the Union Minister at a function narrowly missed.
KHB to construct 10,000 Group Houses in Bangalore
The Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) will construct 10,000 group houses in and around Bangalore to provide housing facilities to all categories of income group families, Somanna said.
He said houses would be build to cater to the demands of lower, middle and higher income groups in Anekal, Yeshwanthpur, Devanahalli, Yelahanka and Nelamangala.
After reviewing the progress of various housing schemes in the State, he said work on construction of houses under the proposed group housing scheme of KHB would be started within next three months.
Details about the land acquisition, prices and cost of the projects would not be revealed now to prevent acquisition of lands by real estate developers.
Many deputy commissioners and chief executive officers revealed in a meeting presided by Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Monday that they had received a large number of applications seeking housing sites.