Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network –Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Jan 23: Taking a dig at the purported chats of Arnab Goswami and former BARC CEO Partho Dasguptha, Karnataka MLC Prakash Rathod demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the case.

Addressing a press meet at Congress Bhavan here on Saturday January 23, Rathod said, “How could editor-in-chief of Republic TV Arnab Goswami know about the Balakot strike in advance? How the information from the secret meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on national security leaked? CCS consists only Prime Minister (PM), Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Defence, Minister of External Affairs, and Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs? Did members of the CCS or the officials of the PMO leaked the information?

"Thus, the government should form a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the matter. Taking a moral responsibility, the PM should sack the ministers or the PMO officials from their position for leaking the information," he said. He also demanded that the JPC should be formed in 10 days and the probe should begin.

On Pulwama attack, Rathod questioned whether the government had information about the attack and allowed it to take place for political gain. He also said that Arnab has breached the national security for TRPs for his channel without concern for national security. “Arnab used the sacrifice of the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) jawans martyred in the Pulwama attack to boost his channel’s TRP (television rating points),” he said.

Rathod, terming Arnab Goswami as a cheat and fraud said that he should be behind the bars. “Arnab should be booked under the Unlawful (Prevention) Activities Prevent, National Security Act and Official Secrets Act. Moreover, National Security Advisor Ajith Doval should tender resignation for the lapses in national security matters,” he said.

He also questioned the silence of RSS. “What is RSS doing? What direction will they give the government of India?”

Speaking on blast in Shivamogga, Rathod said, "Shivamogga is the home district of chief minister (CM) B S Yediyurappa and represented by minister K S Eshwarappa and B Y Raghavendra. In Shivamogga, there are only 8 legal stone quarries. But, there are 46 stone quarries which are being run illegally. There should be a detailed probe into the matter. Those involved in running illegal stone quarry units should be exposed. Why the CM has not ordered for a detailed investigation into the case when 60 villages are affected by the blast?”

Former minister and MLA U T Khader on Shivamogga blast said, "The incident took place at the chief minister's home town itself. The minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj hails from the same district. When explosives where being carried in a truck, why were they not caught at any of the check posts? Why the officials of Mines and Geology are not aware of illegal mining?” he questioned.

He also said that the Mines and Geology minister should tender his resignation over the lapses. The concerned officials of Mines and Geology should be suspended, he said.

He further said that the government should provide compensation for the victims whose houses have been damaged due to the intensity of the blast. He also said that the government should hold a probe and prepare a report by appointing a special IAS officer.