Madhu Bangarappa.
Credit: DH File Photo
Shivamogga: District in-charge Minister Madhu Bangarappa slammed BJP leaders, saying that they have no moral right to seek his resignation in connection with cheque bounce as they looted Rs 40,000 crore in the names of people who died due to Covid-19.
Speaking to media persons, here on Tuesday, he said, BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal himself spoke of corruption during Covid-19 when BJP was in power in the state.
Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa's name was also linked to the charge. "But State BJP President B Y Vijayendra is seeking my resignation and this is ridiculous."
Without mentioning the name of Vijayendra, he said, "I have not sent my father to jail by accepting bribe through cheque. " If Vijayendra has courage, let him answer to the charges made by his party leader Yatnal."
He also claimed that his father (former chief minister S Bangarappa) was charged in a case by CBI. "But my father did not bring stay order from the court. At last, Bangarappa obtained clean chit in the case later. Cheque bounce case is personal and transaction had taken place when my father was alive. Now, the issue has been resolved through the court," he said.
Reacting to MLC N Ravikumar's demand for resignation, he said "the person who can't win even gram panchayat polls is seeking my resignation. Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly R Ashoka is indulged in land scam at Uttarahalli assembly constituency." He stated that he would produce all documents before the public when the time is ripe.
Referring to BJP MP Pratap Simha's tweet that his brother Vikram Simha was booked in a tree felling case to divert people's attention from Madhu Bangarappa's cheque bounce case, the minister said "his brother is a wood smuggler and comparing him with me is a joke."
He also appealed to media persons not to share wrong information with the public without knowing the cheque bounce case completely. There are complaints of misuse of money in the name of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Lord Sriram must not be brought to the street to make money. He would urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into these charges.
KPCC Spokesperson Ayanur Manjunath, former MLC R Prasanna Kumar, District Congress Committee President H S Sundaresh, Vice-President S P Dinesh, DHUDA former chairman N Ramesh, former mayor S K Mariyappa and others were present in the press conference.
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