Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Monday released documents claiming that the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government withdrew cases that were filed against 1,600 PFI workers.
The minister even launched a poster titled 'PFI Bhagya', a pun on various welfare schemes Siddaramaiah launched during his tenure. “When the BJP was in power, in July 2009, 175 cases were filed against 1,600 PFI and KFD workers for rioting in Shivamogga and Mysuru. In December 2012, (Congress MLA) Tanveer Sait wrote to the government asking the cases to be withdrawn and that PFI workers were innocent. In 2015, the Siddaramaiah government ordered the withdrawal of the 175 cases against the opinions of the director general of police and law secretary,” Ashoka said.
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Ashoka said that Siddaramaiah, as chief minister, had defended the PFI. “Also, then AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal said there was no question of banning the PFI. Now, with what face are Congress leaders saying that it was they who asked for a ban on PFI?” he said, demanding an apology.