From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Nov 10: The ruling Congress party in the State, which went ahead with Tipu Jayanti celebrations in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka despite the Black Day observation and other loud protests from Opposition BJP, had egg on its face when a minister belonging to the minority community, Tanvir Sait, who is heading the sensitive Primary and Secondary portfolio, was caught watching porn on his cellphone during the official Tipu Jayanti celebrations in Raichur on Thursday.

The opposition BJP, which is mounting a determined campaign to wrest power in the ensuing State assembly polls in 2018 with State BJP Chief B S Yeddyurappa declaring that his party would ban Tipu Jayanti celebrations within 24 hours of coming to power, has now started gunning for the minister’s ouster.

Adding to the discomfiture of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, two former ministers H Vishwanath and V Srinivas Prasad, have also joined the chorus for the minister’s resignation and have even urged the Chief Minister to sack the minister, if he failed to step down on his own.

A visibly embarrassed Siddaramaiah had to apologetically explain that he will speak to the minister and ascertain the facts. ''I will take appropriate action after I find out what really happened,’’ he said.

Local English TV news channel News9 has been beaming pictures of TanvirSait watching porn pictures on his cellphone, while being seated on the dias during the official Tipu Jayanti celebrations held at Raichur on Thursday. The video clippings were subsequently caught by other Kannada TV news channels too.

BJP, under Yeddyurappa’s leadership, has decided to launch state-wide protests pressing for the resignation of Tanvir Sait.

''Being a Cabinet-rank minister holding charge of an important portfolio of primary and secondary education, which directly concerns the young and impressionable students, he (TanvirSait) should have been a model,’’ Yeddyurappa said and wondered: ''Is this the kind of behaviour that the minister wants the students to emulate? How can a minister watch porn on his cellphone during an official function?’’

Another senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa also demanded that TanvirSait must resign immediately and argued that the minister had no moral right to continue in his post, especially holding an important portfolio of Primary and Secondary Education.

Reacting to questions of media persons here on Thursday, Siddaramaiah said he would seek a report on the matter and take the action.

“I am not aware of the issue. How can I believe media reports and comment? I will speak to the Minister and also seek a report,” the Chief Minister said.

TanveerSait was caught on watching porn pictures on his cellphone during Tipu Jayanti celebration in Raicur on Thursday.

Karnataka Home Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dr G Parameshwara said he too was unaware of the issue.

''I will speak after obtaining information regarding the alleged watching of porn pictures by the Minister,’’ he said.

“Today is Tipu Jayanti celebrations. I am busy with security arrangements across the State. I don’t know. I came to know only through you people (media),” Dr Parameshwara said.

Two former Ministers H Vishwanath and V Srinivas Prasad demanded the resignation of Tanvir Sait.

Vishwanath, former MP, said Chief Minister and KPCC chief must uphold the Congress party values and sack the Minister from the Cabinet.

Vishwanath said it was not good on the part of TanvirSait to continue in the office as the Minister, that too as the Primary and Secondary Education Minister. The incident was a major embarrassment to the ruling Congress and it was shame on the part of TanvirSait, he said.

When the Congress was in the Opposition, the Chief Minister had demanded resignation of three BJP Ministers - Krishna Palemar, C C Patil and LaxmanSavadi - when they caught watching videos of porn film in the legislative assembly.

The beaming of footage of TanvirSaitviewing pictures of ‘skimpily-clad’ women while he was on stage during the celebrations that had been organised to tribute to Tipu Sultan in Raichur by TV channel News9 has come as a major embarrassment to the Siddaramaiah regime.

The Minister was shown browsing through the photographs of women as other speakers were praising the brave acts of Tipu Sultan.