BENGALURU: Karnataka RDPR and IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge here on Saturday said he is no way responsible for Bidar contractor Sachin Panchala’s suicide and requested Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara to initiate a probe into the case for the truth to come out.
“I had a word with the home minister over the phone since he was not in Bengaluru. Once he is back, I will discuss it and request him to conduct a probe by an independent agency within the home department,” he stated.
He held an emergency press conference as BJP is demanding his resignation and arrest, alleging that his supporter Raju Kapanoor had harassed Panchal, driving him to to suicide.
“For over a year, BJP has been trying to get me to resign on one issue or another. It has become a routine for them. Me, my department or the government are not involved in the contractor’s suicide. BJP doesn’t understand law. Am I an accused or has my name figured as an abettor? On what grounds they are demanding my arrest,” he thundered.
He alleged that BJP is politicising the issue to save its own skin as former CM BS Yediyurappa is accused in a POCSO case, Rajarajeshwari Nagar MLA Munirathna is caught in a rape case, MLC CT Ravi is accused of making derogatory remarks against minister Laxmi Hebbalkar and party is being roiled by internal bickering due to factionalism. He charged that the opposition party is targeting him as he has strong ideological inclinations against its masters.
“Eight persons are accused in the case and one of them (Raju Kapanoor) is our Congress corporator’s brother which I cannot deny. Does that mean I was involved in their business transactions which were also legal transactions and there was no ambiguity? If there is anything amiss, the investigation will establish it. But how does that make me liable? Not alone in Kalaburagi, let BJP protest against me across Karnataka,” he said.
He said former RDPR minister KS Eshwarappa’s case during the previous BJP government, where contractor Santhosh Patil committed suicide, is entirely different as the contractor had blamed the then minister. Later, BJP denied him the ticket in the Assembly elections.
