<p>With Nithyananda filing a petition in Karnataka High Court claiming Rs 10 crore from the state for alleged damage caused to his ashram property, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda today said he would not mind going to jail to safeguard the interests of the people.</p>.<p><br />"I wouldn't mind going to jail to protect people's interest. I will perform my chief ministerial duty even if there are thousands of cases filed against me," Gowda told reporters here.<br />Gowda said he did not take any decision against Nithyananda in haste and did it after collecting details about his activities in the ashram.<br /><br />The Chief Minister said he was performing his chief ministerial duties in the interest of the state and not against an individual like Nithyananda or an institution.</p>.<p><br />Self-styled godman Nithyananda, already facing criminal charges, including rape, courted fresh trouble when police on June 8 booked him and his followers for allegedly assaulting a mediaperson at a press meet at his ashram at nearby Bidadi.<br /><br />Even as he faced the police action, Nithyananda filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking Rs 10 crore as damages to his ashram property from the state government.<br />Besides the Chief Minister, Ramanagar District Deputy Commissioner and others have been named in the petition.<br /><br />Hours after being granted bail by a court, Nithyananda was re-arrested yesterday on charges of disturbing the peace</p>
<p>With Nithyananda filing a petition in Karnataka High Court claiming Rs 10 crore from the state for alleged damage caused to his ashram property, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda today said he would not mind going to jail to safeguard the interests of the people.</p>.<p><br />"I wouldn't mind going to jail to protect people's interest. I will perform my chief ministerial duty even if there are thousands of cases filed against me," Gowda told reporters here.<br />Gowda said he did not take any decision against Nithyananda in haste and did it after collecting details about his activities in the ashram.<br /><br />The Chief Minister said he was performing his chief ministerial duties in the interest of the state and not against an individual like Nithyananda or an institution.</p>.<p><br />Self-styled godman Nithyananda, already facing criminal charges, including rape, courted fresh trouble when police on June 8 booked him and his followers for allegedly assaulting a mediaperson at a press meet at his ashram at nearby Bidadi.<br /><br />Even as he faced the police action, Nithyananda filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking Rs 10 crore as damages to his ashram property from the state government.<br />Besides the Chief Minister, Ramanagar District Deputy Commissioner and others have been named in the petition.<br /><br />Hours after being granted bail by a court, Nithyananda was re-arrested yesterday on charges of disturbing the peace</p>