Bengaluru, Jul 29 (IANS): BJP MP Kota Srinivas Poojary staged a protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha on Monday in Bengaluru, urging Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to retract the allegations made against him in connection with the alleged misappropriation in the Bhovi Corporation.
MP Poojary sat on a dharna holding a placard, urging the Chief Minister to either withdraw the charges against him or hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, senior BJP leader, and MLA S Sureshkumar, along with others, also joined the protest.
“I had written a letter to CM Siddaramaiah, requesting him to either retract the false charges against me or hand over the case to the CBI. I am pained by the silence of CM Siddaramaiah. Hence, I am resorting to this symbolic protest at Vidhana Soudha. Let the people of the state give their verdict on this,” stated Poojary.
Poojary had earlier stated that he would stage a protest if the allegations against him were not withdrawn.
Poojary challenged, "The CID is under your control. You have been the CM for a year. If I am guilty, you have the power to take action, including imprisonment. Yet, you have done nothing. When I was a minister, you were the Opposition leader and never raised any issues. Now, you are making accusations to deflect attention from others involved in the Valmiki scandal.”
Poojary had further demanded, "In the previous government, false cases were also brought up. My name was dragged into a scam, alleging that I was involved in the borewell scam. When I was a minister, I ordered a CID investigation into complaints of irregularities in the tender process.
"Officials have confirmed to the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister that no corruption occurred while I was the Minister of Social Welfare. They have stated that not a single rupee was misused.”
“You are making deliberate accusations against me. I have written to you seeking clarification. You have accused me in connection with the Bhovi Corporation's affairs. When Siddaramaiah was previously the CM, he appointed certain officials who were involved in misconduct and scams. I immediately suspended those officials and ordered a CID investigation into the matter,” he alleged.