K’taka CM Siddaramaiah clarifies no decision yet on controversial 4% Muslim quota
Siddaramaiah’s clarification came following accusations by the saffron party that the Congress is engaging in "Muslim appeasement".
After reports quoting former Director General of Police (Prisons) HN Sathyanarayana Rao claimed that Siddaramaiah asked him to provide cot, mattress and pillow to Sasikala, the Karnataka Chief Minister said that he had not issued any such instructions.
As the issue of providing amnesties to the jailed AIADMK leader escalated into a controversy, Siddaramaiah said that he asked the officials to follow prison manual only.
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“A delegation from Tamil Nadu had come to me stating that Sasikala was not even given a mat and pillow. Then Sathyanarayana Rao was DGP (Prisons). I had asked him to see what help can be done according to the jail manual,” Siddaramaiah told reporters, adding that he had “not asked (him) to give special amenity”.
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According to reports, Rao had on Wednesday told an inquiry committee that the amnesties provided to Sasikala, who is serving a four-year sentence in the jail at the Parapana Agrahara central prison, came at the instructions of the Karnataka CM.
Rao was the head of the state’s prisons department in 2017 when senior police officer D Roopa exposed irregularities, including special treatment to Sasikala.
An inquiry committee headed by IAS officer Vijay Kumar was appointed to probe allegations that jail officials were paid Rs 2 crore to extend special treatment to Sasikala.
Rao has moved the Karnataka High Court against the February 26 government order directing Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to register a case against him under sections of Prevention of Corruption Act.
Speaking to reporters, Rao said that he had placed all the documents before the court and insisted that Sasikala was not provided Class one facility.
He referred to his statement before the court when asked whether the CM had told him to provide the amnesties adding that “things will be known during the next hearing”.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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