Indian Youth Congress (IYC), the youth wing of the country’s main opposition party Congress, on Wednesday staged a massive protest outside the residence of Federal Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi demanding the sacking of minister in Karnataka state government K.S. Eshwarappa, who has been booked in the "suicide" case of contractor Santosh Patil.
The protest was led by IYC national president Srinivas B.V.
"Santosh Patil while committing suicide has clearly said in his last words that BJP minister KS Eshwarappa's 40 percent commission demand made him take such an extreme step," Srinivas alleged.
Earlier in the day, the Karnataka state unit of Congress submitted a letter to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot against the minister demanding his resignation and arrest.
The letter stated: “The main cause for his extreme step of committing suicide appears that he had carried out 108 government contract works worth more than INR 40 million ($525,024) on or before 12 February, 2021 in Belagavi district on the oral instruction of K.S. Eshwarappa, Minister of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj of Karnataka, even without work orders from the concerned authorities.”
It further read that whenever Patil approached the minister and concerned officials for payment and for work orders, they insisted on the commission, stating that it had to be paid first and only then will the work order and payment be made.
“The deceased had raised loans from private money lenders at exorbitant interest rates, thinking that payment would be made by the concerned authorities as assured by the minister,” the lead said.
Congress also claimed in its letter to the Governor that Patil had even written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Federal Minister for Rural Development Giriraj Singh about his plight but no action was taken.
The state unit of the party demanded that the minister should be immediately dismissed from the state government and arrested. It also demanded that a criminal case be registered against Eshwarappa under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act along with other provisions of law.
On Tuesday, Karnataka Youth Congress workers staged a protest near Eshwarappa’s residence in Shivamogga city of the state demanding the arrest of minister in connection with the alleged suicide of the contractor.
However, the police detained all the protesters when they marched towards the minister’s residence.
Eshwarappa Refuses to Resign
Despite huge political uproar, Eshwarappa has refused to resign as he wondered if a WhatsApp message can be treated as a “death note”.
Addressing a press conference in his hometown, Eshwarappa said: “The question of my resignation does not arise at all. I will not bow to the opposition demand for my resignation as no written or signed ‘death note’ was found near Patil’s body.” He added that there should be a probe into the matter.
Eshwarappa and his aides Basavaraj and Ramesh have been booked for abetment of suicide and a case was registered in Udupi on the complaint of Patil’s brother.
Santosh Patil Suicide Case
Santosh Patil, a contractor in Karnataka, allegedly committed suicide in a lodge in Udupi on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
According to the preliminary investigation by police, Patil was found hanging from the ceiling in Shambhavi hotel in Udupi. Patil had reportedly sent out a “death note” to his close relatives and friends via WhatsApp blaming the minister for taking the extreme step.
“I am going on a journey of no return. Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa is directly responsible for my death, and he should be punished. I have taken this decision after suppressing all my wants and desires. I have brought some friends with me, after lying to them that we are going on a picnic. But they are not responsible for my death. I thank all my friends, I also thank the journalists for highlighting my problems,” his purported death note read.
According to media reports, Patil had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former state chief B.S. Yediyurappa to give protection to his wife and child after his death.