Karnataka Congress meets Guv, seeks Eshwarappa’s ouster

A Congress delegation met Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Wednesday morning seeking the dismissal of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister KS Eshwarappa and a criminal case against him in connection with the death of contractor Santosh K Patil.

Over a dozen party leaders led by Leaders of Opposition Siddaramaiah and BK Hariprasad along with Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar met Gehlot in Raj Bhavan here.

Patil, a Belagavi-based contractor, was found dead in an Udupi hotel Tuesday, weeks after he accused Eshwarappa of demanding a 40 per cent cut in pending work bills worth Rs 4 crore.

Read | Case registered against K S Eshwarappa for abetting suicide in Santhosh Patil's death

The petition claimed that Patil killed himself because of the 108 government contract works worth over Rs 4 crore that he carried out in February 2021 in Belagavi “on the oral instruction” of Eshwarappa.

“After completion of the said works he neither got any work orders nor payment for the said works from the concerned authorities,” the Congress said. “Whenever he approached the minister and concerned officials for the payment and for work orders they were insisting for the commission stating that commission has to be paid first then only work order and payment will be made by them. To carry out the said 108 works, he had raised loans from the private money lenders on exorbitant interest rate thinking that once the works are completed payment will be made by the concerned authorities as assured by Eshwarappa,” the party said.

Patil was not paid even after he wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh in March, the Congress said. “Consequently he was not in a position to repay the money and interest to the money lenders even though there were many demands from the money lenders,” the party claimed.

Arguing that Patil’s WhatsApp message “is nothing but a death note”, the Congress claimed there were “persistent, unabated harassment and acts of cruelty” from Eshwarappa and his associates.

Also read | Contractor's death new ammo for Congress to target BJP govt

Accusing the BJP leader of violating right to life and liberty under Article 21, the Congress said Eshwarappa acted contrary to his oath of office as he and his allies harassed Patil for a commission.

The Congress also attacked PM Modi by mocking his ‘Chowkidar’ vow against corruption. Patil’s case “is a tip of the iceberg” when it comes to corruption in Karnataka and no action has been taken, the party said.

The Congress urged Gehlot to have Eshwarappa dismissed from Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s Cabinet, that he be booked for abetment of suicide and anti-corruption law, and that he be arrested.

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