Congress to gherao Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai’s home, launch protests

BENGALURU: The Congress party said it will gherao the home of chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday and will hold a week-long protest as it pushes for the resignation of RDPR minister KS Eshwarappa for his alleged involvement in contractor Santosh K Patil’s death by suicide.Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, opposition leader Siddaramaiah, KPCC president DK Shivakumar and AICC general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said the government must ensure Eshwarappa resigns from the cabinet and authorities must charge the minister under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and arrest him immediately for what they called the “murder” of the contractor.Shivakumar said the party will hold protests over the next five days in every district against the “40% BJP government”. “We will form six or seven teams which will travel across the state and hold protest rallies,” Shivakumar said. “The protests are aimed at spreading awareness among the people about the corrupt ways of the BJP government and ensure they are voted out in the upcoming elections. ”Siddaramaiah and Surjewala said the issue of corruption has left even the BJP’s own party cadre high and dry. “Patil was a BJP worker. When the BJP’s own party workers are being forced to die by suicide, then what can the common man expect in such a situation? Where can he go to air his grievance?” said Surjewala.Earlier, a delegation of Congress functionaries called upon governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and submitted a memorandum. “We humbly appeal to your office that KS Eshwarappa must be dismissed from the government of Karnataka headed by Basavaraj Bommai, direct the concerned police authority to take cognizance of the suicide of Santosh K Patil for the abetment of KS Eshwarappa and his allies (sic), register a criminal case punishable under section 306 of IPC and section 13 of Prevention of Corruption Act and other provisions of law immediately and to arrest Eshwarappa, in the interest of justice and equity,” read the memorandum.On Wednesday evening, the party leadership also visited the home of the deceased contractor to express sympathy with the family.