High Drama In K'taka As Congress Demands BJP MLA's Arrest In Bribe Case, Siddaramaiah Detained: Top Points

Congress leaders held a protest in Bengaluru against the Karnataka government demanding the arrest of MLA Maadal Virupaksha whose son was caught taking a bribe.

Several Congress leaders including former CM Siddaramaiah detained by Police during their protest against the Karnataka govt in Bengaluru

New Delhi: Several Karnataka Congress leaders including former chief minister Siddaramaiah were on Saturday detained by police during their protest against the BJP government demanding the arrest of MLA Maadal Virupaksha whose son was caught taking a bribe.

This protest comes after the Congress party announced that it would lay siege to the chief minister's residence on Race Course road in Bengaluru demanding that Basavaraj Bommai quit his post taking moral responsibility.

"The CM was lying that their Govt is corruption free. What is this happening then... We never supported terrorism. Why Congress will support terrorism? Amit Shah is also a great liar. We will take a decision today regarding this (Congress protest)," news agency ANI quoted Siddaramaiah as saying today.

#WATCH | Several Congress leaders including former CM Siddaramaiah detained by Police during their protest against the Karnataka govt in Bengaluru demanding the arrest of BJP MLA Maadal Virupaksha whose son was caught taking bribe pic.twitter.com/3x8aJsk3WU

— ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2023

• Amid the protest, Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy said, "Scams and corruption are going on in the state but the government asked for evidence, so this is evidence. We are demanding the resignation of CM Bommai", ANI reported.
  
  
• According to news agency PTI, Siddaramaiah on Friday targeted CM Bommai saying, "Whenever we said there is rampant corruption and 40 per cent commission is demanded from contractors, the chief minister asked us to furnish details. Isn't this evidence that the 40 per cent commission government is functioning in the state." 
  
  
• "We don't make allegations to get votes. In the interest of the party, we will not just exploit such a situation but we have been saying that this (BJP) is a 40 per cent commission government,"AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge remarked, as quoted by PTI. "Lots of corruption is there (in the government), and a lot of money is misused, and no project is qualitatively completed," he added.
  
  
• Addressing a press conference at AICC headquarters, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the BJP's stink of corruption has not even spared the 'Mysore sandal' soap.
• The Bommai government is at the centre of this political storm after Lokayukta officials recovered unaccounted cash of more than Rs 6 crore from the house of BJP MLA K Madal Virupakshappa's son Prashanth Madal, close on the heels of his arrest for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh.
  
  
• Prashanth, the chief accountant of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, was caught red-handed on Thursday evening while accepting a bribe from a contractor at the Karnataka Soap and Detergents Limited (KSDL) office. The MLA is the Chairman of KSDL, makers of 'Mysore Sandal' soap.

Facing the heat, MLA K Madal Virupakshappa on Friday tendered his resignation from the post. In his resignation letter to the Bommai, he said there is no "relation" between him and the Lokayukta raid which he termed as a "conspiracy" against him and his family.

More On It: In Poll Year, Karnataka BJP Left Red-Faced After Rs 6 Crore Recovered From MLA's Son Caught Taking Bribe