Karnataka - Bangalore

Action against Baig likely

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The Congress is likely to take disciplinary action against the former Minister R. Roshan Baig, MLA, for participating in meetings of the Joint House Committee of the State legislature set up to look into encroachment of government land in and around Bangalore and for signing the interim report of the committee.

The committee submitted the interim report to Assembly Speaker Krishna on Thursday.

Congress Legislature Party leader N. Dharam Singh and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president M. Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday held a meeting with Defence Minister A.K. Antony, who is in charge of party affairs in the State, and urged him to take action against Mr. Baig.

Addressing presspersons after the meeting, Mr. Singh said Mr. Baig's action amounted to "gross indiscipline" and was in violation of the whip issued by him.

Mr. Kharge said he would discuss the issue with Mr. Singh and take appropriate action against Mr. Baig.

Sources in the Congress said Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council H.K. Patil and the former Minister D.K. Shivakumar also urged Mr. Antony to take action against Mr. Baig.

Baig's reaction

Reacting to the demand to take disciplinary action against him, Mr. Baig said he too would brief the party High Command about the committee's investigation into land encroachments.

Mr. Baig on Thursday said the Joint House Committee had been conducting its investigation in a fair manner.

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