Siddaramaiah defends move to contest Karnataka HC verdict
The CM was reacting to queries on his government's decision to file a special leave petition (SLP) in Supreme Court.
Mangaluru: Ridiculing reports that the Congress government was indulging in a witch-hunt against BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa, CM Siddaramaiah asserted that all were equal before the law and nobody is above it, be it Yeddyurappa or another former CM, Dharam Singh.
The CM was reacting to queries on his government’s decision to file a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, contesting the high court’s decision to quash 16 cases against Yeddyurappa.
“We will go by the legal opinion of the law department,” Mr Siddaramaiah told reporters when asked why the government was planning to file an appeal against Yedyurappa and not against Congress leader Dharam Singh who too is facing corruption cases.
“If the legal opinion suggests we file an appeal, we will do so. There is no witchhunt. We will act as per law,” he claimed. “There was some delay in deciding to appeal to the Supreme Court as we had sought legal opinion. They (BJP leaders) may allege that we are involved in vindictive politics as it is natural for wrongdoers to say so,” he remarked.
On the foreign tour by Ministers Ramalinga Reddy and D.K. Shivakumar, Siddarmaiah said that both had gone abroad for personal reasons.
He claimed that the state government had efficiently managed the drought situation. “We are ensuring that there is no fund crunch for works related to drinking water, fodder and employment,” he said.