Bribery: Sindhia flays BJP for stifling Reddy's voice

Bangalore, July 20: Former Karnataka Minister and senior JD(S) leader P G R Sindhia today flayed the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for having stifling the voice of its party legislator G Janardhana Reddy from proving the bribery allegation he had made against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and others.

Talking to UNI here, Mr Sindhia said the BJP, which called itself a custodian of honesty and patriotism, had tried to browbeat Mr Reddy from exposing the corruption to the public. ''It exposed the BJP's true colours and stand on corruption and probity,'' he added.

He said the BJP had suspended Mr Reddy without making any preliminary inquiry into what led to his outbursts in the Legislative Council yesterday.

Mr Reddy had created a furore in the Upper House when he repeated the bribery charge against Mr Kumaraswamy and his Ministerial colleagues.

The MLC had earlier alleged that Forests Minister C Chennigappa had collected Rs 150 crore from mine owners in Bellary district on behalf of the Chief Minister. However, he had then denied that he had named the Chief Minister in the scandal.

Mr Sindhia said Mr Kumaraswamy should uphold the dignity and honour of the office he held by proving that the graft charges levelled against him were false.

On the Congress' demand for a CBI inquiry into the bribery allegation, Mr Sindhia said when the Chief Minister himself had rejected the demand, it was futile to stick to it.

To a question, he said he did not attend the ongoing JDLP meeting as he was not invited for it. ''They might have thought that my presence at the meeting will make them feel uncomfortable as I always tend to speak the truth.'' Mr Sindhia said ever since his party leaders decided to join hands with communal party BJP, he had decided to distance himself from party affairs. ''The party leaders also treat me like an untouchable,'' he added.

On his future course of action, Mr Sindhia said he was making efforts to revive the original Janata Dal which believed in true secular credentials and strove for ensuring social justice to all sections of the society. ''My efforts have evoked good response,'' he added.

UNI

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