Congress delegation calls on Governor, seeks dismissal of Eshwarappa

Bengaluru

A day after the death of contractor Santosh K. Patil in Udupi, who had accused Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj K.S. Eshwarappa of corruption, a delegation of the Karnataka Congress called on Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday and sought dismissal of the Minister from the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

In a petition submitted to the Governor, the Congress leaders cited the “death note” of Belagavi-based contractor Patil and said, “There was a persistent and unabated harassment and acts of cruelty from Mr. Eshwarappa and his associates which amounts to abetment of suicide.”

The Congress also urged the Governor to direct the police to take cognisance of the suicide of Patil, the abetment of Mr. Eshwarappa and his aides and to register a criminal case punishable under Section 306 of the IPC and Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and other provisions of law. The delegation led by Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah also demanded the arrest of Mr. Eshwarappa “in the interest of justice and equity”.

Patil was found dead in Shambhavi Hotel at Udupi on Tuesday. Before his death, in a WhatsApp message, he held Mr. Eshwarappa “directly responsible” for his extreme step. “Further, Patil appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister and other senior leaders to help his wife and a child,” the petition said, citing the “death note”.

The letter said that for executing 108 works, based on an oral assurance by Mr. Eshwarappa, the contractor had raised loans from the private moneylenders on exorbitant interest rate thinking that once the works are completed payment will be made by the authorities concerned as assured. But even after completion of the said works and of several requests from him, neither the Minister nor the officials responded for his genuine request, the Congress leaders said.

“Patil had written letters to Prime Minister and also to Union Minister for Rural Development Giriraj Singh and narrated the pathetic conditions and requested them to direct Mr. Eshwarappa or the State RDPR Principle Secretary to release payment and issue work orders immediately, and stated that he would otherwise commit suicide,” the Congress leaders said. The contractor had also written to BJP national leaders Arun Singh and B.L. Santhosh to help him on the matter, the Congress leaders said.

KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council B.K. Hariprasad were among those who met the Governor.