Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara said on Friday that discussions are underway to hand over the investigation into the alleged Hubballi woman stripping case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and that the case will be transferred to the CID after obtaining the Chief Minister’s approval.
Speaking to reporters at the Home Office in Bengaluru, he said the CID must investigate the truth behind the incident and submit a report to the government.
“After that, the government will take a decision after examining who is at fault and whether there was any negligence in the incident,” he said.
He clarified that the police did not allow the woman to be stripped and that they took immediate action. “I have already shared information with the media that the police did not disrobe her and that she did it herself. Even so, the matter needs to be investigated in detail. Only an investigation will bring complete clarity,” he said.
Commenting on the criticism by Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy against Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for convening the police officers meeting, Parameshwara said D.K. Shivakumar is a responsible minister and Deputy Chief Minister. “It may be constitutionally correct to say, as Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has claimed, that there are no additional powers. However, it is not right to say that D.K. Shivakumar going there as a representative of the government was wrong. He has taken oath as Deputy Chief Minister. I could not go, and he went in that capacity,” he said.
He said that as the minister in charge of the department, if he had visited immediately after the incident, there would have been allegations that he had issued instructions to the police. “We visit only after careful thought so that the investigation is not affected in any way. That is why I have not gone to Ballari so far,” he said.
Parameshwara said Shivakumar visited the place as Deputy Chief Minister, minister, and government representative, met the family on humanitarian grounds, and offered condolences. “If even this is considered wrong, then what can be said? Whose permission is required for a government representative to visit?” he asked.
He said that if there had been real interference, with instructions given to police officers leading to different consequences, Kumaraswamy’s criticism could be accepted. “But a responsible government representative’s visit has been interpreted differently,” he said.
He said that no one had interfered in decisions taken so far. “The Chief Minister and I discuss and take decisions together. I could have directly said that the Hubballi case would be handed over to the CID. But can such decisions be taken without informing the Chief Minister?” he asked.
Clarifying his remarks on the transfer of the Ballari Range IGP, Parameshwara said he never claimed ignorance. “I am aware of it. Transfers are carried out by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR). I said it in that context. The Chief Minister is the authority who signs the file and issues directions to the concerned officials,” he said.
Referring to protests over the MGNREGA scheme, he said protests would be held across the state to inform people about the hardship being caused to beneficiaries. “Renaming the scheme is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi on one hand, and on the other, employment will not be provided in villages. We will place before the people the fact that financial decisions are being taken in Delhi,” he said.
He said former PM late Rajiv Gandhi had decentralised power through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment so that decisions on village roads and drains would not be taken from air-conditioned rooms. “If that is being reversed, then why talk about decentralisation? The BJP-led central government has taken this decision. Let Opposition leaders express their views on the MGNREGA scheme. Let the BJP defend it in a special Assembly session,” he said.
(IANS)
