Dismissing "vendetta" over the arrest of BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu Pratap Simha's brother Vikram Simha by the forest department, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday stated that those who will break the law and commit the crime will be prosecuted, news agency ANI reported. Speaking with reporters, CM stated: "Those who break the law will be arrested, no one will be arrested if they are innocent people will not be harmed in our government, and those who committed crimes will be prosecuted."
On Sunday, BJP MP Pratap Simha said that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is seeking to finish his family in order to 'politically rehabilitate' his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah. He stated that the Chief Minister is attempting to use him to help his son win the Lok Sabha elections next year.
"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 was quoted by PTI in its report.
"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.
Rejecting Simha's allegation, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said action would follow when trees are felled illegally.
He said: "We don't want to target anyone, I have just enquiry on that if he took the permission to cut trees it is ok no issue, if he has not taken permission it is illegal. MP Pratap Simha is doing politics, and if he gets permission no one will stop him, I have cross-checked on his issue, and officials have done their work. We don't want to interfere in this issue. The officious has said he cut so many trees without any licence."
Simha's accusations were also dismissed by the state Home Minister, Dr G Parameshwara, who stated that those who broke the law must face the consequences.