Renukacharya & Co Heading For Showdown with Reddy Brothers

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jul 30: Karnataka Excise Minister M P Renukacharya and his supporters seems to be heading for a showdown with Bellary Reddy Brothers over their ``Swabhimani Bellary Yatra.”

Renukacharya, who was one of the staunch supporters of Bellary mining lords led by Infrastructure and Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy and his elder brother G Karunakara Reddy, Revenue Minister, and their close associate B Sriramulu, Health and Family Welfare Minister, when they launched a bitter dissidence war to oust Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa last year, held a meeting along with Harihar MLA B P Harish, Indi MLA Bagali Sarvabhouma Satagouda, Sagar MLA Gopalakrishna Belur, KGF MLA Y Sampangi in Bangalore on Friday.

Later, addressing a joint press conference, Renukacharya and other BJP MLAs, expressed their strong opposition to the ``Swabhimani Bellary Yatra” launched by the BJP ministers from Bellary.

A few MLAs led by Renukacharya on Thursday evening held a meeting at a hotel in the city and reportedly discussed various developments within the party and the Government.

Renukacharya and  Belur, who supported the Reddy brothers when they revolted against Chief Minister in October last, now changed their sides and opposed the rally taken out by the Bellary Ministers.

Declaring that the Thursday’s meeting was not aimed at toppling the Yeddyurappa Government, Renukacharya said: ``a few like-minded legislators discussed several issues, including the rally taken out by Sriramulu and the Reddy brothers.”

They have reposed full faith in the leadership of Yeddyurappa, Renukacharya said.

He also made it clear that nobody, except the Chief Minister and State BJP President K S Eshwrappa, can shut his mouth, claimed that a divisional level of the party’s function at Davanagere, would be organised on a grand manner.

The Minster, who represents Honnali in Davanagere district, said lakhs of people would be mobilised to the party’s function on August 2.

Belur and Sampangi too voiced their opposition to the rally taken out by the Reddy brothers.

They also said the Congress leaders should refrain from making baseless charges against the Yeddyurappa government.

They welcomed the Government’s decision to ban export of iron ore from the State and said a probe by the Karnataka Lokayukta would reveal leaders behind the illegal mining and export of ore.
 
Why should police duplicate existing rules? asks Minister
 
Meanwhile, the war of words between Renukacharya and Bangalore city police commissioner Shankar Bidari continued over the issue of a draft of The Licensing and Controlling of Liquor Houses (Bangalore City) Order 2010, which applies to existing as well new establishments
serving liquor.

The Excise Minister hit out against the City Police Commissioner for coming out the draft of rules, which is nothing but a duplication of existing rules. He warned the City Police Commissioner not to interfere in the Excise Department’s functioning.

Renukacharya said the rules mentioned in the draft were already incorporated in the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and ``the new set of rules are nothing but a duplication of existing rules. Why the police are duplicating the same rules again?” he asked.

According to the draft rules, bars and restaurants serving liquor can open or continue their business only after obtaining a license from the commissioner. Bidari maintained that the responsibility of licensing and controlling places of public entertainment vests with the police.

Renukacharya took strong objections to the draft rules and said he would meet Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, Chief Secretary S V Ranganath, Secretaries of Finance and Home departments and explain them to duplication of work by the police and the Excise Department.

Some of the provisions in the Karnataka Police Act, 1963, and Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, have been conflicting and he would discuss the issue with Yeddyurappa, the Minister said.

Stating that the city police commissioner has no powers to encroach upon the powers of the Excise Department, the Minister said the Department has its own rule and regulations and has highly talented officials to issue licenses.

Bidari had, in a note to the media said, The Licensing and Controlling of Liquor Houses (Bangalore City) Order 2010, is not a product of any tussle. ``The proposal was pending consideration of the department, months before Renukacharya took over as the Minister. Hence, it is not correct to say that this order has been issued as a result of the tug of war.”

The police officer said, ``the practice of multiple licenses that is from the Labour, BBMP, Excise and Home department is prevalent in many other places, cities and states. It is not a new development.”

Earlier, Renukachyara had indulged in a outburst against the Police Commissioner when the latter decided not to obey the Minister’s view on extending timing to serve liquor beyond 11.30 pm.

Bidari said that the police are ultimately responsible for security and want the deadline to remain 11.30 pm.He held that under the Karnataka Police Act of 1963 only the police commissioner and not the excise department has the right to change the liquor deadline and to issue licence to  a place of public entertainment.