Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday defended his Cabinet’s decision to withdraw consent given to the CBI to probe his deputy DK Shivakumar’s assets while Home Minister G Parameshwara said the government is not getting into the merits of the case.
Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah described the consent as 'illegal' that was given to the CBI on September 25, 2019.
"If any government servant has to be brought under inquiry, the government has to give sanction. If it's a minister, then the Governor has to give sanction. If it is an MLA, then the Speaker has to give permission. Since Shivakumar was an MLA then, the Speaker's permission was required. But it wasn't taken," Siddaramaiah explained.
According to Siddaramaiah, the then chief minister BS Yediyurappa issued an order without waiting for the advocate-general's opinion. "The then CM instructed the chief secretary orally. Based on that, the chief secretary ordered that the matter should be given to the CBI. This was illegal," he said.
Asked about the matter being sub-judice, Siddaramaiah said: "We can't interfere with the court. Let the court decide what it must."
Parameshwara said the government is "correcting" a procedural lapse. It was his department that moved the proposal to the Cabinet. "We have not gone into the merit of the case. Whether or not (Shivakumar) has disproportionate assets or has earned them, we have nothing to do with that. On procedural matters, the government has a responsibility, so we have taken action," he said, adding that the previous BJP government's decision was politically-motivated.
On the perception that the Cabinet is trying to "protect" Shivakumar, Parameshwara said: "Anyone can interpret whatever and however they want. What we've done is in the framework of law."
An administrative order based on the Cabinet decision will be issued in a couple of days, Parameshwara said. "It will be submitted to the court. Further decisions will be made based on court directions," he added.
Meanwhile, RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge charged that the BJP targeted Opposition leaders during elections and counted the case against Shivakumar as one such. "The ED sent a letter to the then chief secretary on September 19, 2019. In six days, the CM issued an order by flouting all norms. BJP leaders have no awareness of the law," he said.
Shivakumar did not react. "I read it in the papers. I wasn't there (in the Cabinet meeting)," he said.