From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Dec 1: With JD(S) supporters attacking Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa’s Political Secretary B J Puttaswamy and his residence for leveling various land scam allegations against former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and his sons and family members, Food and Civil Supplies Minister V Somanna rushed to defend his party colleague.
Both Somanna and Puttaswamy, who held separate press conferences in Bangalore on Wednesday, strongly condemned the goonda activities of JD(S) workers and directly blamed Deve Gowda and his sons H D Kumaraswamy and H D Revanna for unleashing the anti-social elements to silence their detractors.
Demanding a public apology from Deve Gowda, Kumaraswamy and Revanna for seeking to tarnish the image of Yeddyurappa by leveling false and baseless allegations, the two BJP leaders threatened to come out with exposures with documentary evidence and spill out all the land scams carried out by the JD(S) leaders.
"The government cannot remain a mute spectator for the hooliganism of JD(S) workers or silently accept Kumaraswamy’s baseless allegations against the Yeddyurappa government,” said Somanna alleging that the JD(S) leaders were jealous of the Chief Minister’s popularity with the people because of the government’s pro-poor and developmental programmes.
Puttaswamy said he cannot be silenced or cowed down by attacks by JD(S) workers. "Deve Gowda and his family cannot pretend that they are the only protectors of truth while all others are crooks and corrupt. Those living in glass houses, should remember that they cannot throw stones at others and expect everybody else to remain silent,” he said.
"We are not living in a feudal system. All are equal in the eyes of the law,” he said declaring that he will come out with even more damaging exposures with documentary evidence to prove that the Deve Gowda family is guilty of much more serious offences.
Somanna condemned JD (S) workers’ attack on the residence of Puttaswamy, who exposed alleged illegal grabbing of lands by Deve Gowda and his family members in Hassan and Ramanagaram districts.
During a television show on Tuesday night, Kumaraswamy, who joined the debate via telephone, made ugly remarks against him, Somanna said.
It may recalled that Puttaswamy had alleged that the Deve Gowda family had illegally acquired 82.01 acres of government, gomala and tank bed area at Kamenahalli, Paduvalahippe, Galipura Kaval, Maragowdanahalli, Chakenahalli of Holenarasipura taluk and Arakalgud taluk of Hassan district.
Puttaswamy alleged that about 60 JD (S) workers instigated by Mr Kumaraswamy attacked his residence on Tuesday night and his life was in danger.
"Nobody can threaten me or silence me. I am not afraid of JD(S) leaders. I will continue my crusade,” said Puttaswamy.
Puttaswamy has lodged a police complaint on the attack in which his house was targeted with flower-pots and stones damaging the car and breaking of window-panes.
D N Jeevaraj withdraws resignation, to stay on as Govt Chief Whip
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP’s government chief whip in the assembly D N Jeevaraj, a two-term MLA from Sringeri and senior party leader from Chikmagalur district, who had resigned demanding a cabinet minister’s berth, has withdrawn his resignation and decided to continue in the post.
Jeevaraj told reporters that he was withdrawing his resignation on the directions of the party in view of the Supreme Court’s decision to issue notices to the Chief Minister and state assembly speaker K G Bopaiah over the special leave petitions filed by the 11 disqualified BJP MLAs after the Karnataka high court’s division bench upheld the speaker’s decision.
"I am a loyal soldier of the party. I have to protect the interests of the party,” he declared.