BJP calls efforts to arrest Yediyurappa in POCSO case ‘vendetta politics’ by Congress

Bengaluru, June 14: The Karnataka BJP on Thursday accused the Congress government in the state of pursuing vendetta politics in the POCSO case involving former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in retaliation for dragging Rahul Gandhi to court in a defamation case. 

In a major development, a special court in Bengaluru on Thursday issued a non-bailable warrant against veteran BJP leader Yediyurappa in connection with a POCSO case against him relating to the alleged sexual harassment of a minor.  

Questioning Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former BJP national General Secretary C.T. Ravi told reporters here, "Is this not politics of hatred? CM Siddaramaiah claimed he wouldn’t pursue the politics of hatred, but now he is doing just that. The people of the state will question this.

"The people are asking why the government was inactive for four months after the POCSO case was lodged against Yediyurappa. Home Minister G. Parameshwara had even stated that there was no substance in the case."

Ravi also said it is an open secret that since Rahul Gandhi was dragged to court in Bengaluru, the Congress wants the BJP to be dragged to court as well. 

"We will honour the court order in Yediyurappa's case. But this is a political conspiracy. The alleged incident took place on February 2, and the case was lodged in March. Yediyurappa had gone to the police station to record his statement. But the police told him that it was not necessary, and later recorded his statement at his residence," Ravi said.

Commenting on the matter, N. Ravikumar, BJP MLC and the party chief whip in the Legislative Council, said that there is no substance or truth in the case. 

"Home Minister Parameshwara had said that the complainant is mentally challenged and has lodged more than 60 cases against IAS/IPS officers, and politicians. The government itself had said that this case was not important. Despite Yediyurappa conveying to the police that he was ready to give a statement, the police asked him not to come to the police station and later collected his voice sample in April," he said, adding that the entire matter is a conspiracy hatched by the Congress in retaliation to Rahul Gandhi being dragged to court in a defamation case.

"The CM, Deputy CM, and Home Minister have acted on the advice of Congress' Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala and hatched this conspiracy," Ravikumar alleged.

"The Congress, which did not act in the last four months, has suddenly woken up. They have obtained a non-bailable arrest warrant and want to arrest Yediyurappa. This is highly condemnable," said BJP MLC Chalawadi Narayanaswamy.