Southern States
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Karnataka
Stamp paper issue rocks Assembly
By Our Special Correspondent
BANGALORE, JAN. 28. The Legislative Assembly was adjourned much ahead of schedule today amidst deafening slogan-shouting at the Well of the House by the BJP members, who persisted with their demand for a CBI inquiry into the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket and the resignation of the Tourism Minister, Roshan Baig, for his alleged role in it, even as the Government rejected their demands on the ground that the State police were capable of a thorough investigation into the case.
While the BJP members resorted to dharna in the Well of the House after the rejection of their two demands by the Government, the JD(U), the JD(S), and the JD (neutral) staged a walk-out.
The Home Minister, Mallikarjun Kharge, while giving clarifications sought by the Leader of the Opposition, Jagadish Shettar, at one stage disclosed that in his report, the Bangalore Commissioner of Police had made alternative recommendations, namely, CBI inquiry and inquiry by the Additional Director General (ADG) of Police and the Government had accepted the latter and formed a team of investigation. A special committee had also been set up under the senior police officer, Sreekumar, who himself had served in the CBI with distinction.
Earlier, when asked about the need for the government seeking a Special Court to try the case when the investigation was yet to be completed, Mr. Kharge said a charge-sheet had been filed (in a similar case). If more facts come to light, an additional charge-sheet could be filed in the court.
The investigation team had been given full authority not only to visit any part of the country, but even to go abroad and take the assistance of the CBI, if necessary. There was, therefore, no need for the Opposition to be adamant, he said.
Mr. Kharge gave a list of cases which the CBI could not solve and also listed a number of complicated cases, including the bomb blasts in churches, which the State police were able to solve. Therefore, it was not proper to give the impression that the State police were not capable of handling complicated cases.
He read out a message from the Centre which discouraged handing over of the case to the CBI at this stage as the investigation had almost been completed and charge-sheet filed.
Mr. Kharge said the Government would soon set up a Special Court to dispose of the case early and punish the guilty. The clarification, however, did not satisfy Mr. Shettar, who expressed suspicion over the visits of Mr. Baig to Mumbai to meet the main accused Karim Lala. As Mr. Baig's brother was a member of the ruling party's minority morcha, the Government was out to protect Mr. Baig. That was why the Government was not prepared for a CBI inquiry, he said.
The repeated reference to names by Mr. Shettar was objected to by the Chief Minister, S. M. Krishna. The Speaker, M. V. Venkatappa, ruled the matter closed and this was greeted by slogan-shouting BJP members who entered the Well of the House.
The Janata Dal groups staged a walk-out led by the JD(U) floor leader, P. G. R. Sindhia, who wanted the Chief Minister to drop Mr. Baig from the ministry, if he did not resign, pending inquiry.
With the slogan shouting reaching its peak, the Chair adjourned the House for an hour. There was no change in the situation when the House re-assembled. In the din, the Congress member, B. R. Yavagal, moved the motion of thanks to the Governor for her address to the joint session of the legislature while Kariyanna, seconded it.
Mr. Kharge described as improper the demand for the resignation of Mr. Baig and appealed to the Opposition to allow the House to go on. But there was no positive response from the Opposition which insisted on a CBI inquiry. So, the Speaker announced the adjournment of the House for the day.
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