Shivakumar rejects BJP’s demand for resignation

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday rejected the BJP’s demand for Excise Minister R B Timmapur’s resignation citing large-scale corruption in his department. State Home Minister G Parameshwara too said the opposition is not providing any evidence for corruption.

The BJP staged an overnight agitation in the Karnataka Assembly starting from Tuesday night till Wednesday morning. The party also held demonstrations inside the Assembly as the session started.

The agitation was happening when the state government started discussion on replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin) (VB—G RAM G) and its fallout on the rural economy and employment scenario.

Congress leaders said the BJP was raking up a non-issue and that there was no need for Timmapur to resign. “There are no evidences, they (BJP) have no issues and they have created all fake issues. They want to keep this issue alive,” Shivakumar, who is Congress Karnataka unit president, told reporters here. The BJP was staging demonstrations to avoid discussion on the MGNREGA, he said.