Belagavi: Although the BJP held a day-long dharna in the legislature on Monday for the resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister, K J George, for his alleged involvement in the suicide of DySP, M K Ganapati, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made it clear he had no intention of asking him to quit. Replying to an adjournment motion moved by leader of the opposition in the legislative council, K S Eshwarappa's seeking Mr George's resignation, the Chief Minister said it did not make sense for the Minister to quit just because his name figured in the FIR filed by the CBI investigating the case.
"He quit once on the directions of the magistrate court last year although he was advised against it. And I was forced to accept his resignation then although I was personally against it . But now he will not resign. Let the CBI complete its investigation and then we will take a call on it. Until then Mr George will continue as a minister in my Cabinet," he declared. Mr Siddaramaiah recalled that FIRs had been filed against 25 Union ministers too but they had not resigned and several Ministers in other states also had FIRs lodged against them but are in office. "Before the BJP demands Mr George's resignation, let it put pressure on all the 25 Union ministers to put in their papers. The Supreme Court has not questioned the 'B' report filed by the CID in Karnataka, but has only ordered the CBI to reinvestigate the case," he noted.
Denying that the government had doctored evidence as claimed by the BJP, he said newspaper reports displayed by its members as proof were not admissible under the Indian Evidences Act. Earlier there was pandemonium in the House as ruling and BJP members indulged in a wordy duel over the latter calling Mr George a 'murderer' and demanded Mr Eshwarappa's apology for describing him as such.
