Hubballi, Aug 17 (IANS): Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, on Saturday stated that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should cooperate with the investigation following the Karnataka Governor’s decision to allow sanction for prosecution.

Speaking to the media at Hubballi, Union Minister Joshi stated, “After taking all legal and moral aspects into account and after taking the opinion of legal experts, the Governor has given sanction for the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. There is a due process of law and the law will take its own course.”

“CM Siddaramaiah should cooperate with the investigating agency and judiciary to probe the case and he should step down,” Union Minister Joshi demanded.

He claimed that the Governor had taken sufficient time before giving sanction and it had been given in the backdrop of serious allegations against the CM.

“We are hopeful that CM Siddaramaiah will cooperate with the investigation. Under the pretext of legal action or the law, he should not create hassles for the investigation,” Joshi stated.

“If CM Siddaramaiah has not committed any illegalities, there will be no harm caused to him. Let him wage legal battle against the order, we don’t have any objections to it. When Karnataka’s former Governor late Hansraj Bhardwaj had given sanction against former CM BS Yediyurappa, he did not brand Bhardwaj as a Congress agent. He took moral responsibility and stepped down from his position,” Joshi professed.

After getting a clean chit, let CM Siddaramaiah be in his position for five years, he stated.

Joshi also slammed the protests against the Governor in Karnataka.

In a major development, Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot gave sanction for prosecution against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday in connection with the irregularities in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority.

The development is a major setback for CM Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka.