Sleaze clip: Probe panel meet sans ‘Opposition’
BANGALORE: Amidst the boycott by the Opposition, the house committee set up to probe into the sleazy clip episode involving three former ministers - Lakshman Savadi, C C Patil and Krishna Palemar - held its first meeting on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by all four members of the ruling BJP - Shrishailappa Bidarur, Nehru Olekar, S R Vishwanath and Sureshgowda. But Congress members H C Mahadevappa, Amaregowda Bayyapur and JD(S) member Dinakar Shetty did not show up sticking to the stand of their respective parties.
As a result, the first meeting ended within half-an-hour without much deliberation. “We have decided to hold the next meeting on February 29,” committee chairman Bidarur told reporters after the meeting.
He also appealed to the Opposition members to attend the proceedings of the committee and offer their views as the issue was serious and involves the dignity of the state Legislature.
Bidarur refused to comment on whether the committee would summon the former ministers to present their case, saying that such details cannot be disclosed to the Media.
The committee is likely to issue notices to the electronic Media which broke the episode, seeking clippings of the ministers watching porn, before its next sitting.
The Congress and JD(S), meanwhile, hold that there is no need for probe into the misconduct of the MLAs as the episode was telecast live by regional channels, and want their disqualification.