Hours after Karnataka Vidhana Parishad Deputy Chairman SL Dharme Gowda’s body was found on a railway track, Janata Dal (S) second-in-command, HD Kumarswamy on Tuesday demanded that a fact-finding committee to probe the case.
Kumaraswamy told reporters that Gowda was upset with the incidents that had led to abrupt sine die of the Legislative Council, since two weeks. “This is politically conspired murder. Those who pulled, shoved and dragged Gowda must question their own conscience, whether what they have done is right or wrong” he questioned.
Gowda was at the centre of the high drama in the legislative council on December 15, which saw BJP-JD(S) and Congress members hurling abuses and pushing each other over a row pertaining to a no-confidence motion against Chairman K Pratapachandra Shetty.
During the ruckus, Dharme Gowda, who was on the Chairman’s seat, was pulled down by some Congress legislators who accused him of occupying the chair against the rules.
Kumaraswamy did not name any leader or any party directly. All throughout, he maintained those who dragged Gowda from the chair must answer questions.
He explained that incumbent Legislative Council chairman (K. Pratapchandra Shetty) had issued a showcause notice to Legislative Council secretary, Mahalakshmi, who had recently submitted a one and half page report which apparently blamed Gowda for the ruckus.
Kumarswamy added that Gowda had gone into depression since this report came out three days ago. “JD(S) supremo, H. D. Deve Gowda and myself tried to convince him that ‘he had not made any mistake’ (by occupying the chair prior to stoppage of quorum bell) but he had reluctantly accepted it. Besides this, the Chairman had constituted a fact-finding committee headed by our party leader Maritibbe Gowda to know the reasons behind the ruckus,” he explained.
He added that among two brothers Bhoje Gowda and Dharme Gowda, the latter was always very sober and soft-spoken. “He used to spend most of his free time in a farm house and engaged himself in farming. Whereas Bhoje Gowda was always a rebel among the two,” he said while recalling his long association with both brothers.
Meanwhile refusing to comment, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, DK Shivakuamr said that he does not wish to react to Kumarswamy’s allegations. “He must be upset, when he has lost his friend. He may have emotionally spoken if he has made any such remarks. I do not wish to react to these type allegations at this juncture,” he said.
The ruckus in the council had followed the attempt by the ruling BJP and JDS to take up the no-confidence motion against Shetty, despite it not finding mention in the day’s agenda.
Shetty had rejected the notice for the motion citing procedural lapses and pointing out that no specific charges were made against him.
However, insisting on going ahead with it, the BJP and the JDS had attempted to take up the motion by seating the Deputy Chairman on the chair.
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