Opposition parties insist on CBI probe, stall both Houses

The proceedings in both Houses of the State legislature were stalled on Wednesday with the Opposition parties remaining firm on their demand for a CBI probe into the mysterious death of IAS officer D K Ravi.

The BJP and JD(S) members continued with their dharna in the well of both the Houses. They raised slogans accusing the government of shielding persons responsible for the death of the officer.

As soon the Assembly and the Council met in the morning, Opposition members trooped into the well of the House and started their protest. They displayed placards condemning the government. Members of the ruling party, too, shouted slogans, countering the Opposition. Home Minister K J George and Energy Minister D K Shivakumar tried to defend the government.

Former minister R Ashoka (BJP) accused the government of spreading rumours about the officer with an intention to malign his image. “I spoke to the officer's father-in-law and he confirmed that his daughter and her husband had a cordial relationship,” he said.

Opposition leader in the Council K S Eshwarappa said that the government was trying to destroy evidences. Quoting newspapers, he said that CCTV cameras and entry log books at the apartment where the officer lived were missing. “Only a CBI probe will bring out the truth,” he said. As the protest continued, presiding officers of both the Houses were forced to adjourn the House for the day.

‘Shameless govt'

Speaking to reporters after meeting the parents of Ravi at Vidhana Soudha, Opposition leader Jagadish Shettar hit out at the government for refusing to budge from its stand. “Parents of the officer were forced to stage a dharna demanding a CBI probe. It is a shameless government,” he stated.

He accused the chief minister of conspiring to tamper with evidence by seeking time to decide on the CBI probe.

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy lashed out at the government for spreading rumours about the officer in order to divert the issue.

He criticised Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee for not mounting pressure on the government to order CBI probe.

BJP memo to Guv

The State BJP will submit a memorandum to Governor Vajubhai Vala on Thursday seeking the intervention of Raj Bhavan in getting the death of IAS officer D K Ravi probed by the CBI. The memorandum will be submitted to Vala by a delegation of BJP legislators at Raj Bhavan at 12:30 pm.

A decision to approach the Governor on the issue was taken at the BJP legislature party meeting on Wednesday. The BJP, at one point, was even contemplating of launching a padayatra from Doddakoppalu village in Kunigal taluk in Tumakuru district, the native place of Ravi, to Raj Bhavan.