JD(S) demands Yeddyurappa govt resignation

Bangalore, Jul 18: JD-S today (Jul 18) asked Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde to file cases against some ruling BJP leaders, including Higher Education Minister V S Acharya, for allegedly trying to influence him ''to save'' Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on the illegal mining issue.

"Lokayukta should file case against Acharya, State's Special Representative in Delhi V Dhananjayakumar and former chairman of the Finance Commission, Kudgi and order for their arrest," state JD-S President H D Kumaraswamy told reporters.

He also demanded the resignation of the Yeddyurappa government on moral grounds over this issue. Kumaraswamy alleged that BJP and Congress have no respect for constitutionally created bodies.

He came down heavily on Congress General Secretary B K Hariprasad for his statement demanding Hegde's resignation and doubting the Lokayukta's integrity.

Congress and BJP seemed to be scared of Lokayukta's final report on illegal mining, expected to be submitted soon, he said.

Kumaraswamy said his party would hold a rally here tomorrow and present a memorandum to Governor H R Bhardwaj, demanding dismissal of the Yeddyurappa government for its efforts to ''influence'' Lokayukta.

Hegde had claimed that Dhananjaykumar and Acharya had met him some months ago and tried to influence him against indicting Yeddyurappa in his report on illegal mining.

PTI