'BJP will push for George's sacking'

The BJP will fight inside and outside the houses of the Legislature till Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sacks K J George over the suicide of police officer M K Ganapathi.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar told reporters on Saturday that the BJP would move adjournment motions in both Houses of the legislature, seeking discussion on the issue. “The chief minister should also suspend police officers A M Prasad and Pronab Mohanty,” said Shettar.

The CID cannot conduct an impartial inquiry when cops  themselves are involved, he said and called for a CBI or judicial investigation into the case. Ganapathi’s father and brother gave statements under pressure from Congress leaders and police officers. Police officer G N Mohan, who had booked a case against Siddaramaiah’s son in 2013, was also harassed, he said.

‘Probe BJP’s role’

Meanwhile, JD(S) state president sought to know why BJP leaders were silent on DySP Kallappa Handibag’s suicide, while they were staging protests over  Ganapathi’s suicide. Speaking to reporters at Hubballi airport, he said the BJP role in Handibag’s suicide should be probed. “The government is paying advisors like Kempaiah lakhs of rupees just to bury suicide cases like those of D K Ravi, Kallappa Handibag and M K Ganapathi. This is a government of murderers and the chief minister is protecting them,” he said.