New Delhi: With the Karnataka High Court
refusing relief to SM Krishna on alleged illegal mining
during his Chief Ministership, BJP on Friday asked the Congress to
show the door to the External Affairs Minister as done to
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa in the wake of
Lokayukta report indicting the state government.
"Krishna holds the sensitive portfolio of External
Affairs. After the order of the Karnataka High Court, he
should resign purely on moral grounds as his case will be
investigated by the Lokayukta police," BJP chief spokesperson
Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here.
He wondered whether Congress will follow the example of
BJP when it had asked Yeddyurappa to step down after the
Lokayukta report indicted his government.
"They campaigned against him for two years. As soon as
the report came, we asked him to resign, which he did," Prasad
said.
Congress, however, downplayed the matter saying it was a
"normal legal process" on which the party has nothing to
comment.
"This is a normal legal process. I am sure Krishna and
his lawyer will deal with the matter in accordance with the
law. There is nothing for us to comment on the matter. Today
the fact that there is no final verdict, there is going to be
further appeal," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.
In a setback to Krishna, the Court ordered that
investigation should continue into offences relating to
de-reservation of forest area in mineral rich fragile zones.
Krishna, Chief Minister from 1999 to 2004, however, got
some relief as the court quashed the charges of mismanagement
of state owned Mysore Minerals Limited by him on the ground
"it does not constitute any cognizable offence and do not call
for investigation".
PTI
First Published: Friday, January 20, 2012, 22:44