Accused ministers stumped by opposition

BANGALORE: Ministers R Ashok, V Somanna and Murugesh Nirani had to face embarrassment in the Upper House on the first day of the Winter Session on Monday as Opposition parties refused to ask questions to them while accusing them of being tainted.As soon as the Question Hour began in the afternoon session, JD(S) leader M C Nanaiah raised the issue and questioned the morality of the ministers to continue in office despite probe being ordered against them by the Lokayukta court.Opposition Congress members also joined the chorus and demanded resignation of all the three ministers. As many as eight questions were to be answered by Home and Transport Minister R Ashok and one by Housing Minister V Somanna.But no opposition member asked them questions. “How can they continue in office? FIRs have been filed against them. They have no moral right to continue in office. We will not accept them as ministers,” shouted opposition members led by Nanaiah thus prompting the treasury bench to resort to a counter attack.Angered by this, Ashok sought to know under what Act or law, he was being urged to resign.The Centre had submitted in the Supreme Court that a mere FIR or charge-sheet cannot be a reason to seek ministers’ resignation, he said, while urging the chair to decide on the opposition’s demand. Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy, on his part, rejected the demand while stating that there was no legal provision to seek resignation of a minister on the basis of a FIR or chargesheet.“It is to do with morality. But there is no legal provision. So I cannot accept the demand,” h said. Somanna also got emotional and claimed that efforts were being made to defame him by hoisting false case against him. “In my 30 year-long political career, there is not even a single black-spot. You (opposition) also know about this. Don’t fall prey to the design of some people who are ought to defame me,” he said. Even Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda rejected the demand while expressing serious concern over series of charges being made against ministers. “I will not allow any minister to continue even for a second if the charges are proved,” Sadananda Gowda added.