Mysuru: BJP MP Pratap Simha on Sunday alleged that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is out to finish his family only to 'politically rehabilitate' his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah. He claimed that the Chief Minister is targeting him to pave the way for his son to win the Lok Sabha elections next year. Siddaramaiah dismissed the allegations, saying that only those who violate rules are arrested and not the innocent.
Pratap Simha was reacting to his brother Vikram Simha's arrest in connection with the felling of a large number of trees in a farm in Hassan to grow ginger. Vikram was arrested on Saturday evening and taken to the hospital for a medical check-up today. "My brother's name was not there in the FIR earlier. He wasn't even absconding. Yet, he was arrested," the Mysuru-Kodagu BJP MP told reporters here.
Simha further claimed that the CM will not stop with the arrest. "For your (Siddaramaiah) son's political future, you will make all the efforts to trample Pratap Simha. You will defame me and drag my family into this. You are trying to frame my brother," the MP alleged. Simha charged that the Chief Minister is trying to rehabilitate his son Yathindra, who gave up the Varuna seat to enable his father contest the Assembly elections from the constituency in May this year.
"For his son's future, Siddaramaiah is out to finish my family. Please arrest my elderly mother and sister also but I want to tell you that the people of Mysuru-Kodagu are with me," the MP said. Speaking to reporters here, the Chief Minister rejected the charges. "Whoever violates rules will be arrested. Why will someone be arrested without any reason," Siddaramaiah sought to know.
He said no innocent person will be harmed in his tenure. Rejecting Simha's allegations, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said action would follow when trees worth crores of rupees are felled illegally. State Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara too denied Simha's charges, saying those who violated law have to face the consequences.
