Haveri (Karnataka): In a dramatic twist to
the porngate scandal, a member of the Karnataka Assembly panel
probing the incident on Sunday claimed more than 15 MLAs,
including Opposition members, had watched the sleazy clippings
that led to the resignation of three ministers.
"We have definite information that more than 15
legislators saw those tapes inside the Assembly on that day.
They belong to all the three main parties (BJP, Congress and
JD-S)," Nehru Olekar, one of the four BJP members of the
committee, told reporters here.
Olekar said it was not just the three former ministers
who watched the sleaze tape, but several others belonging to
all the three major parties had watched it in the Assembly
while its proceedings were on.
Lakshman Savadi, CC Patil and Krishna Palemar resigned
as ministers a day after they were caught on camera watching
porn tapes in the Assembly on February 7 with regional TV
channels telecasting their act evoking national outrage and
causing severe embarrassment to the BJP.
Assembly Speaker KG Bopaiah has set up the House
committee but members of Congress and JDS have been boycotting
the proceedings demanding summary disqualification of the
three MLAs.
Olekar, who is also the Chairman of the Commission for
Development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, said the
House Committee would hold its next sitting on March 8 in
Bangalore and will examine witnesses.
"We have also issued notices to the three former
ministers to appear before the committee on March 8 at 11 am,"
he added.
PTI
