Mysuru, 18 Jan 

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday dismissed the BJP’s demand for a CBI inquiry into the Ballari violence that left one person dead, questioning the opposition party’s moral authority to seek such an investigation.

Speaking to reporters here, Siddaramaiah said the BJP had never handed over a single case to the central agency during its own tenure.

He termed the demand for a CBI probe now as "politically motivated" and said it lacked credibility.

“How many cases did they hand over to the CBI when they were in power and we were in the opposition? If they didn’t, then what moral right do they have to make such demands?” the Chief Minister asked.

He added, “During my previous tenure as Chief Minister, I gave many cases to the CBI, including the accusation against the then Home Minister KJ George (in a DySP suicide case), the lottery case and the suspicious death of Soujanya in Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district.”

On the BJP’s decision to stage a statewide agitation, Siddaramaiah said the opposition was free to protest.

“Let them do it. That is left to them as the opposition party. We will give them a reply, which has to be given,” he said.

Tension prevailed in parts of Ballari on January 1 night after supporters of Ballari City Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy and Gangavati BJP MLA G Janardhan Reddy allegedly clashed over a banner installation issue. The situation turned violent with alleged stone-pelting and firing of bullets, leaving one person, a Congress worker, dead.

The incident reportedly began after supporters of Bharath Reddy allegedly installed a banner related to the Valmiki statue unveiling in front of Janardhan Reddy’s residence in Ballari

Reacting sharply to the language used by BJP leaders at a public meeting in Ballari, the Chief Minister said it reflected a lack of culture.

“If they had culture, why was Janardhana Reddy made an external from Ballari? Who turned the district into the ‘Republic of Ballari’?” he asked, recalling that the then Lokayukta Santosh Hegde had used the term in his report on illegal mining.

“Wasn’t that due to Janardhana Reddy? This shows they do not believe in democracy but in autocracy. They are rowdies. Do we need to learn any lesson from them?” he said, adding that the Congress believes in democracy and the Constitution.

He also questioned the motive behind organising a public meeting in Ballari. “Other than political gain, what else is the intention?”

Addressing BJP allegations over convening a legislative session from 22 to 31 January, Siddaramaiah said the first session of the year needed to be a joint session.

He said issues related to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) were also a key reason for calling the session.

“The objective of MGNREGA is to ensure jobs for people in rural areas,” he said, adding that landmark rights such as the Right to Work, Right to Information, Right to Education and the Right to Food were introduced by the Congress-led UPA government under then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“The BJP wants to destroy it. That is why we are convening a session to denounce attempts to repeal MGNREGA by introducing VB-G RAM G,” he said.

On the arrest of an Excise Deputy Commissioner allegedly caught accepting a Rs 20 lakh bribe, the CM said his government would not shield anyone involved in corruption.

When reporters pointed to the Excise Minister’s name being mentioned in a purported video, Siddaramaiah said he was not aware of it.