From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Aug 26: With the Supreme Court coming down heavily against the BDA Commissioner Rajesh Gowda to be removed from the post over the irregularities in allotment of G category alternate site to influential persons, including Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, KPCC president D K Shivakumar on Friday demanded that the minister must resign owning moral responsibility or must be dropped from the Cabinet by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Speaking to reporters near his residence on Friday before leaving for Hunsur in Mysuru district to participate in the Kempegowda Jayanti programme, the State Congress President said the strictures passed by the apex court is a sad state of affairs in the functioning of the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA).
"All the beneficiaries, including the Home Minister, who misused their power for personal gains must resign by owning moral responsibility. The Chief Minister must drop such ministers from his Cabinet before the issue becomes a serious issue,’’ he said.
Shivakumar said no official will be able to misuse his powers without political pressure and backing.
The BDA Commissioner Rajesh Gowda came under the Supreme Court’s scathing attack after an alternative site measuring 50 ft x 80 ft worth at least Rs 10 crore was allotted to the Home Minister in the RMV II Stage in lieu of the site allotted in HSR Layout.
In its previous orders, the apex court had mandated that sites recovered following the formation of layouts must "mandatorily be auctioned". However, the BDA had reportedly allotted such sites to select and influential political functionaries under the guise of allotting alternate sites.
The KPCC Chief said AICC General Secretary and in-charge for Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, will be visiting the State next week and meetings in connection with the Bharat Jodo yatra of Rahul Gandhi are being held in the City on August 28 and 29.
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and AICC media chief Jairam Ramesh will be attending a meeting of office-bearers on September 1.