Bengaluru: Opposition Leader in the Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, BJP MLCs C T Ravi, N Ravikumar and 10 others have been booked for carrying out a poster campaign in Bengaluru city against Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge in connection with the suicide of Bidar-based contractor Sachin Panchal allegedly due to harassment by the minister's followers.
The High Grounds police have registered an FIR against these people based on a complaint by PSI Shashidhar Vannur. Narayanaswamy and others have been accused of creating inconvenience to the general public by illegally assembling on public roads.
In a bid to step up pressure on the Karnataka government to secure the resignation of Priyank Kharge, the BJP launched a poster campaign on Tuesday pasting posters of Kharge in public places in many parts of the city.
The posters carried slogans that read 'Minister Priyank Kharge Responsible for Death of Contractor' and 'Supari Sponsor Kharge.' Following this, Narayanaswamy and other leaders were arrested and let up.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah turned down BJP's demand for the resignation of Priyank Kharge, son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, saying the demand was laced with malicious intention.
"The demand by BJP is politically motivated and is being made out of hatredness. The death note by contractor Sachin does not even mention Priyank's name. So, there is no question of seeking Kharge's resignation," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
He also took a dig at the BJP for demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Sachin's suicide. "When BJP was in power, not even a single case was handed over to the CBI. They don't have the moral right to talk about it," he said.
