Overnight protest rocks Vidhana Soudha as BJP-JD(S) escalate excise scam charges

The BJP and JD(S) continued an overnight protest inside Karnataka’s Vidhana Soudha, demanding Excise Minister R.B. Thimmapur’s resignation over alleged irregularities, warning that the agitation would intensify if he remains in office.

Bengaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal(Secular) continued their day-and-night protest at the Vidhana Soudha on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of Excise Minister R.B. Thimmapur over the alleged excise scam.

The BJP-JD(S) legislators camped overnight at the Vidhana Soudha and spent the night inside the Assembly. Some leaders, including BJP state President B.Y. Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka, went for a morning walk within the premises.

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Earlier, LoP R. Ashoka, BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra, and JD(S) floor leader C.B. Suresh Babu addressed a joint press conference in Bengaluru and announced the commencement of the protest on Tuesday night.

The legislators held posters inside the Assembly demanding the resignation of Excise Minister R.B. Thimmapur, alleging a Rs 6,000-crore scam in the Excise Department. Later, they gathered to sing devotional songs and then slept on the floor of the House. Photos and videos of BJP and JD(S) leaders sleeping on the floor went viral on social media.

After freshening up, the legislators gathered at the lounge, had tea, and discussed the future course of action. The protest was resumed after the morning walk, with BJP and JD(S) legislators sitting on the entry steps of the Assembly and raising slogans demanding the Excise Minister’s resignation. They also sang songs and raised “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” slogans.

BJP MLA Channabasappa sang a devotional song, and legislators, including Vijayendra, Ashoka, and Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Arvind Bellad, joined him.

Earlier, while addressing the media, Ashoka had claimed that, for the first time in Karnataka’s history, liquor associations themselves have alleged a Rs 6,000 crore scam in the Excise Department. He further alleged that the Excise Minister was collecting between Rs 250 crore and Rs 300 crore every month. According to him, Rs 2 crore was allegedly collected for each Deputy Commissioner’s post and Rs 10 lakh even for constable-level postings.

He also referred to an audio recording in which a Deputy Commissioner allegedly stated that a “cut” had to be paid to ministers, and pointed out that a complaint had been filed against the minister with the Lokayukta.

“Despite all this, the minister is asking for proof, and the entire government, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, is backing him. This indicates that a huge amount of money is reaching the Congress high command. For elections, this massive Rs 6,000 crore collection has taken place. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that Rs 700 crore from Karnataka was sent for the Maharashtra elections,” Ashoka alleged.

“We are staging an overnight dharna and will continue the protest until Excise Minister Thimmapur resigns. If he does not resign, we will directly allege that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has a share in the scam,” he said.