Cong flays CM's criticism of Santosh Hegde

"The government should clearly spell out whether it has accepted or rejected the Lokayukta report on illegal mining. It has no powers to seek clarifications on the report under the Lokayukta Act", KPCC President G Parameshwara said at a press conference here.

He came down on Gowda's remarks against Hegde that the report was vague in nature while naming some officials. "The government cannot close down the institution of Lokayukta as it has been created by an act of legislature",he said and reiterated his party's stand that it would not allow winding up of Lokayukta.

"Is the attack mounted by the government a personal attack on Hegde or against his report on illegal mining"? he asked. Yesterday Gowda had hit out at Hegde's remark against some BJP leaders and raised doubts about some contents of the report, including names of officials mentioned in it.

Parameshwara demanded a CBI probe into 'financial irregularities' in Bruhut Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). He said the state unit Congress would tomorrow felicitate five women who served in various fields to mark the 945th birth anniversary of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Indira Gandhi Vishishta Seva award which carries a cash prize of Rs 10,000 and a citation would be presented to Gayathri Nivas (Journalist), Geetha Naveen Kulkarni (Police official), Dr M Bhagyalakshmi, Ruksana Hasan (both social activists) and K Lokambi, a nurse at Victoria Hospital.