Congress stages walkout in Assembly over mining scam issue

Bangalore, Mar 27 (UNI) The main Opposition Congress today staged a walkout in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in protest against the State Government not handing over to the CBI, the mining scam pertaining to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 150 crore from the mining lobby in Bellary.

Initiating a discussion under Rule 69, Leader of the Opposition N Dharam Singh demanded that the case be handed over to the Central agency.

Opposition members, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rameshkumar, alleged that the Government was practising vindictive politics and not dealing with the issue directly.

Replying to the discussion, Home Minister M P Prakash defended the State Government's move of handing over inquiry to the Lok Ayukta. The CBI was not a panacea for every thing and the Lok Ayukta had full powers to charge sheet, file cases and prosecute even the Chief Minister and Ministers, he explained.

He claimed that there was no malafide intention in handing over the case to the Lok Ayukta on March 12, after winding up the U L Bhatt Commission, appointed by the State Government.

The Minister accused the Centre of showing no courtesy to reply to the Bhatt Commission's recommendation of taking the assistance of the CBI in the case.

Before the Minister finished his reply, the Congress members, led by Mr Singh, staged a walk out in protest against the Government not responding to their demand of handing over the case to the CBI.

UNI