Bengaluru, May 4 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said he was not fully aware of the details surrounding the shocking revelation by Mangaluru police that the brother of Fazil, who was murdered in 2022, had allegedly used Rs 25 lakh in government compensation to hire contract killers to murder Suhas Shetty, the main accused in Fazil's murder case.
"I am not aware of the details. I will look into the matter after consulting with Home Minister G Parameshwara and Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who both visited Mangaluru the previous day," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Haveri when asked about the case.
According to police, Fazil’s brother had allegedly misused the compensation awarded by the state government following Fazil’s communal murder to finance a revenge killing.
The Chief Minister, while speaking at a separate event, also lashed out at the BJP over what he called their "hypocrisy" on the issue of the caste survey. "Those who previously criticised me for conducting a caste survey, saying it would lead to inter-caste conflicts, are now wholeheartedly welcoming the Centre’s decision to conduct one," he said.
"Whatever Modi does is acceptable to their party members. Earlier, they would make political statements without basing them on reality. Doesn’t it show that their stance is driven by politics rather than facts?"
Later in Hubballi, Siddaramaiah took aim at Union Minister Pralhad Joshi over his reported remarks on irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) examinations, while accusing the Centre of stalling the Mahadayi river project.
"Did Joshi speak about Mahadayi? Whose responsibility is it to give environmental clearance? He is a very important minister; he should take responsibility," he said. "How many times should we submit a memorandum? We wrote letters, I even visited many times."
He further alleged that the Prime Minister was withholding clearance fearing backlash in Goa. "Calling an all-party meeting is one part, but if we have to start the Mahadayi project, we need environmental clearance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not giving permission out of Goa’s fear, and Pralhad Joshi is not speaking out," he alleged.
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