Pics: Joshwa D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JD)
Mangaluru, Dec 12: Veteran Congress leader and former union minister Janardhan Poojary on Monday December 12 urged chief minister Siddaramaiah to demand resignation from excise minister H Y Meti with regard to the alleged sex scandal, or, if he refused, to sack him from the cabinet. He also said that if Siddarmaiah cannot dismiss Meti, he is not fit to be the CM.
Addressing a press meet, the senior Congressman said, "It is evident that the chief minister does not have any control over his fellow cabinet ministers or the officials of the state. Why is the chief minister not asking H Y Meti to resign? When you (Siddaramaiah) selected the ministers why could you not verify his background before inducting him into the cabinet?"
Addressing himself to Siddaramaiah, Poojary said, "You are answerable to the people of the state as they have elected you. Now you have forgotten all values and do not care for anyone and you have become arrogant. When the media people asked you about H Y Meti you got angry and gave a shocking answer. Is it wrong to ask questions? Every person of this state including me has the right to question you.
"If you cannot solve the problems of the state you must resign from your position. Please do not think that only you can be the chief minister. The high command can make the Dalit leader Dr Parameshwar as the chief minister any time.
"It is not too late. You can still sack minister Meti and rectify the mistake. If you cannot dismiss him then you are not fit to be the chief minister," he told the CM.
"It is the question of chastity of the lady who may have changed her statement overnight due to the minister's political influence. Where are the BJP leaders who keep chanting 'Matru Devobhava' but are keeping mum over this grave issue? Why are they not speaking against the minister? This means that the politicians can do anything and no one should question them.
"I am speaking this only because no one will speak about the issue from the Congress party. A mistake is always a mistake, no matter who commits it. The party has to bear the consequences in the future. What will the chief minister answer to the honest workers of the party? If he does not act against Meti, he will be destroying the party," Poojary said.
When asked about the concerns raised by president Pranab Mukherjee about the obstruction of the parliamentary session by the opposition leaders, Poojary said, "This is only because the Prime Minister is not ready to face the opposition. He has the time to visit foreign countries but not to answer questions of the opposition. No one will behead you (PM Narendra Modi) if you attend the session. Your very own party leader and former Prime Minister was a model in answering the opposition's questions. The Prime Minister must respect the parliament," he said.
He also expressed his opposition to the controversial Yettinahole project and said that it was a major 'scam'.