Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hits back at the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday, flatly rejecting their call for a CBI investigation into the recent fatal violence in Ballari. Speaking to the media, the CM questioned the opposition’s "moral authority," pointing out that the BJP rarely, if ever, trusted the central agency with cases while they were in power.
"How many cases did they hand over to the Central Bureau of Investigation when we were the ones in the opposition?" Siddaramaiah asked, labelling the current demand as nothing more than a political stunt. He contrasted this with his own track record, reminding reporters that during his previous term, he had referred several high-profile matters to the CBI, including cases involving his own cabinet ministers and the suspicious death of Soujanya in Dharmasthala.
The war of words stems from the New Year’s Day clashes in Ballari between supporters of Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy and BJP MLA G Janardhan Reddy. The violence, sparked by a dispute over a banner, resulted in the death of a Congress worker. Siddaramaiah didn't hold back on Janardhan Reddy, mocking the BJP's choice of leadership. "Who turned that district into the 'Republic of Ballari'?" he asked, referring to the infamous Lokayukta report over illegal mining. He dismissed the BJP leaders as "rowdies" who prefer autocracy over the Constitution, stating that the Congress has nothing to learn from them.
The CM also defended his decision to call a special legislative session starting January 22. While the BJP has accused him of using the session to protect his "chair" amidst internal party friction, Siddaramaiah insisted it is about policy—specifically the Centre’s move to replace the UPA-era MGNREGA with the new VB-G RAM G Act. He accused the Modi government of trying to dismantle the "Right to Work" and said the session is a necessary move to denounce the repeal of the employment guarantee scheme.
Before wrapping up, the Chief Minister addressed the recent arrest of an Excise Deputy Commissioner caught with a ₹20 lakh bribe. While he maintained that his government would not shield the corrupt, he dodged questions about a video allegedly linking the Excise Minister to the scandal, claiming he had not seen any such footage.
Also read: Vijayendra accuses Siddaramaiah of misusing legislature session
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