BENGALURU: With CD-gate taking new twists and turns with every passing day, the ruling BJP seems to have distanced itself from the six ministers’ decision to seek an injunction against media from publishing or airing any unauthenticated or defamatory content against them.
Alleging that there is a big political conspiracy to defame them, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, Agriculture Minister B C Patil, Labour Minister Shivaram Hebbar, Cooperation Minister S T Somashekar, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Basavaraj and Youth Empowerment and Sports Minister K C Narayana Gowda moved court. All of them had jumped to the BJP from the Congress and JDS with Ramesh Jarkiholi in 2019, and helped the BJP form its government in Karnataka.
While Sudhakar maintained that they had discussed the issue with party leaders before approaching court, BJP sources said it was the ministers’ individual decision and the party has nothing to do with it. “It is an individual prerogative and the party has not told them to approach court to get an injunction,” sources said. Expressing displeasure over the developments, Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda said that unnecessarily going to court and creating more confusion over such issues is not good. Gowda, however, said the ministers can individually express their views in court and others cannot interfere with it.
“Each individual can think about his future and decide on future course of action, it is left to them,” he said, and added that developments in the past few days had embarrassed the party. Indicating that the BJP central leadership has taken note of the developments, Gowda said Jarkiholi resigned immediately. Earlier in the day, Sudhakar and other ministers said that there seems to be a big political conspiracy to defame them by misusing media, and they approached court to prevent a smear campaign.
“It is necessary to put an end to this kind of conspiracy. The government is also thinking of bringing in a law to check this kind of mischief. More ministers are likely to approach court,” he said. He said that if there is truth in the allegations, the culprits must be punished. “No one is above law. But a smear campaign to tarnish image and goodwill is not acceptable. Those who feel they are victimised can go to court and seek justice. But there is a new trend to indulge in hit-and-run allegations. This is unethical, immoral and illegal,” he added. Agriculture Minister BC Patil said they had approached court as a precautionary measure.
Narayana gowda justifies injunction move
Mysuru: Defending their decision to move court and secure an injunction against publication and telecast of defamatory content against them, Minister K C Narayana Gowda, who is one of the petitioners, played the ‘fake CD’ card and pinned the blame on social media platforms.
Speaking about the controversial matter in Mandya on Saturday, Narayana Gowda said they had to take this step to protect themselves from unnecessary hounding by the media, and to prevent their family members from getting hurt by such news.
Flaying the comments by Opposition leaders who refer to him as ‘Bombay Thief’, he said he moved to Mumbai years ago to build a life by staying in the commercial capital of the country for 32 years. “I have neither any case against me nor charges of violating law,” he said. Gowda said that not just ministers, many more politicians are in line to file similar petitions in court to save their honour from this false narrative.