K'taka: Bommai slams Congress, says party hides its mistakes

Bengaluru, March 5 (IANS) Hitting back at the opposition Congress which is demanding his resignation in connection with the arrest of a BJP legislator's son in a bribery case, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said while his party insists that Lokayukta take action against anybody who makes mistakes, the Congress hides its failings.

Reacting to the Congress' resignation demand over the arrest of BJP MLA Maadal Virupakshappa's son in a bribery case, Bommai said: "In the previous Congress-led government in Karnataka, Puttarangashetty, a minister had accepted Rs 25 lakh bribe in Vidhana Soudha. Did then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah resign?

"If the Lokayukta existed then, the minister would have been arrested. But they weakened the anti-corruption institution to hush up such cases," he said.

The Congress must come to power to cover up its mistakes, the Chief Minister said.

Commenting on the protest by the Congress across the state, he said "the people know well why they were protesting".

"The party has been doing it to come back to power and hush up its mistakes. The people have not forgotten the omissions and the commissions committed by the Congress leaders. They have been involved in murder, extortion, corruption, and plundering. The 59 cases of the previous Congress government have been referred to the Lokayukta and the truth will come out," Bommai said.

Asked about the Congress also seeking the resignation of BJP's Channagiri MLA Maadal Virupakshappa, the Chief Minister said no decision has been taken in this regard. "The Lokayukta has been given the free hand to inquire about the case," Bommai said.

Speaking about the re-inauguration of the Shivaji Maharaj statue at Rayghad by the Congress leaders, Bommai said "this is ridiculous since the statue had been built out of the government's grants and had already been formally inaugurated on behalf of the government".

"After the inauguration, anyone can visit to see the statue but has not heard of re-inaugurating after the formal opening. This shows their hunger for power and the height of their frustration," Bommai said.