From our special correspondent
Daijiworld media network
Bengaluru, Feb. 21: The no-holds-barred catfight in the social media involving two women officers has led the people to wonder if the Basavaraj Bommai government exists or not, said JD(S) leader and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and demanded that chief secretary Vandita Sharma must take immediate action against IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri and IPS officer Roopa Moudgil.
Addressing the media persons at the party office on Tuesday, the JD(S) leader said the public airing of nasty comments and abuses against each other by the two state government officers has caused serious damage to the government’s credibility and wondered how the two women officers have been allowed to abuse each other in social media, sharing salacious details about the exchange of nude pictures.
Kumaraswamy said Home Minister Araga Jnandra’s statement equating IAS officers to gods and goddesses smacks of his childishness.
The government officers must maintain dignity, decorum and adhere to a code of conduct of service, he said and wondered what the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was doing.
The JD(S) leader targeted IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri without naming her and said the officer has been involved in controversies wherever she is posted. The JD(S) leader Sara Mahesh had made serious allegations against the officer and the issue figured in the assembly and even moved a breach of privilege motion.
“Ultimately, I prevailed upon Sara Mahesh to drop the issue. We know who had exerted pressure,” he said and asked the government to enforce discipline among the officers.
Kumaraswamy refuted the allegations by senior JD(S) leader A T Ramaswamy from Hassan district, who is on the verge of jumping to Congress, against his brother H D Revanna for trying to dominate Hassan politics.
“A T Ramaswamy was not actively involved in any of the party activities during the last two to three years. He has not attended any of the party meetings and was in contact with other parties during the last two years. He knows about Arkalgud politics better than me,” he said pointing out that Ramaswamy had effectively handled the responsibilities entrusted to him in the past.
The JD(S) leader objected to Ramaswamy’s terming Revanna as “Ravan.”
Answering questions, Kumaraswamy said there was no problem within the party and the second list of candidates will be released shortly. “The list will have the name of the candidate for Hassan assembly constituency,’’ he said without spelling out whether his sister-in-law and Revanna’s wife Bhavani will be the candidate or his own personal preference of Swarup.
With Bhavani publicly declaring herself as the JD(S) candidate for the Hassan assembly seat, and the party clarifying that no decision has been taken, the issue was finally left to the decision of JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda. In the meanwhile, Bhavani has been maintaining a low profile.
The JD(S) leader said the party’s Pancharatna Yatra, which was suspended temporarily on account of Maha Shivaratri festival, will resume and culminate with a mega rally on February 27.