New Delhi, Jul 19 (DHNS): Members of the Congress and BJP engaged in a verbal duel in the Lok Sabha over the transfer of police officer D Roopa, who had made startling claims about the facilities enjoyed by AIADMK leader Sasikala in a Bengaluru jail.

BJP member Prahlad Joshi raised the issue of Roopa's transfer and accused the Karnataka government of “punishing” senior police officers who raised their voice against the “illegal and immoral acts of the state government”.

As Joshi made his remarks during Zero Hour, Congress members Mallikarjun Kharge, K C Venugopal, Gaurav Gogoi, and K Suresh lodged strong protest over raising issues related to the state in Parliament.

“One lady officer, a DIG, who raised her voice against providing excellent facilities like that of a five star hotel to VIP jail-mates. … instead of transferring the jailor, the DIG was transferred first and then the jailor was transferred,” Joshi said.

He said another lady IAS officer, who was the Deputy Commissioner of Mysore, was transferred after she filed a police complaint against a person close to the chief minister for threatening here.

“Another officer was transferred because she did not receive the phone call of a minister as she was in a meeting,” Joshi, the member from Dharwad, said.

Congress members were on their feet protesting Joshi's remarks. “Is this the Karnataka assembly. Why is he raising state subjects in Parliament,” Venugopal said.

Kharge said members should not be allowed to raise subjects that fall into the domain of the state government in Parliament.