UDUPI: Referring to the recent gold smuggling case which resulted in the arrest of actress Ranya Rao, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi on Saturday said names of state ministers are coming out in the case, but the state government has decided to remain silent on it.
Speaking to reporters here, Joshi said officials of the state government provided an escort to the accused, allowing them to bypass checks with a protocol arrangement. “It is alleged that state ministers are hand in glove with the accused. Initially, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara handed the investigation to the CID.
How was the accused brought in bypassing customs through protocol? What was your intelligence doing until the Government of India’s intelligence stepped in? There are such questions that need to be answered. Such money and gold are used for anti-social activities. The state should take the matter seriously,” he demanded.
On the Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister MK Stalin, replacing the ‘Rupee’ symbol with the Tamil script, the Union minister said it was indeed unfortunate.
“This is a matter of national interest. Did PM Modi create the rupee symbol? Did BJP do it? Wasn’t it done when the Congress government was in power? All of them were ministers at that time. A Raja, Dayanidhi Maran... all were in government.
Congress’ P Chidambaram was the Finance Minister. Why did you make this decision now? The Congress and its allies have taken politics to this level,” he rued, adding that the DMK government in Tamil Nadu is trying to hide its failures through such actions.
Referring to Pakistan accusing India of provoking the recent train hijack in Balochistan, Joshi said the Ministry of External Affairs has already provided a detailed response. “The administration in Pakistan has collapsed, creating a situation where foreigners and diplomats are afraid to visit it. Blaming India is extremely childish. India’s stance is that there should be no unrest anywhere in the world,” he added.
Regarding the internal dissent in the Karnataka BJP, the high command has taken note of all the issues and is trying to resolve them, he stated.
Joshi, along with his wife Jyoti Joshi, visited the Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt and had darshan of Lord Krishna. He was also honoured in the presence of seer Sri Sugunendra Thirtha Swamiji of Paryaya Puthige Mutt, Udupi.