BANGALORE: The state Congress demanded a probe by a sitting High Court judge into the Friday’s attack on media personnel at the city civil court complex by advocates in which several journalists were injured and media equipment damaged.
Speaking to newsmen after taking a party delegation to Governor H R Bhardwaj here on Sunday, KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar said, “We have conveyed our party’s stand on the issue to the Governor.” Parameshwar blamed the state government for the incident as “it had failed in anticipating such an event”.
Criticising Home Minister R Ashok on the issue, Parameshwar said, “He (Ashok) failed in his duty to ensure law and order in the city and provide leadership to the department he heads.” Ashok should resign from his position on moral grounds, he said.
He also said the party in the meeting with the Governor raised the issue of Karnataka Forest Minister C P Yogeshwar, facing the charges of corporate fraud, criminal conspiracy, forgery and cheating in an investigation conducted by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).
The chargers pertained to the dealings of Yogeshwar’s company Megacity (Bangalore) Developers and Builders Ltd.
The Congress also urged the Governor to direct Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to drop C P Yogeshwar from the Cabinet, he added.
Replying to questions on the alleged involvement of the party’s senior leader D K Shivakumar in the illegal mining of granites in Ramangara district, the KPCC president said the party would not come in the way if the state government ordered a probe into it.
Informing that there was no connection between alleged involvement of Shivakumar into illegal quarrying and Megacity scam, the KPCC chief said, and added “if the government has any evidences, let it take action against Shivakumar”.
Deputy leader of the Opposition in the Assembly T B Jayachandra and others, accompanied the KPCC chief
Judicial probe an eyewash: Vishwanath
MYSORE: MP A H Vishwanath said on Sunday the state government was trying to hush up ‘goondaism’ of advocates by ordering a judicial probe into the incident.
Condemning the attack, “Such ‘delay tactics’ of the higher officials and the government will weaken the police force.
The government must take a firm stand and debar the advocates responsible.
The proposed judicial probe will not give justice to the victims as proved in many incidents.” He added officials like former DGP Ajay Kumar Singh or DG&IGP Shankara Bidari should conduct the probe.