The Karnataka BJP, faced with fresh embarrassment on Tuesday when two cabinet ministers of the D.V. Sadananda government were caught on camera watching a pornographic clip on their high end mobile phones in the legislative assembly, has been asked by the BJP top brass to sack the ministers, sources said.
Already facing the heat over a series of corruption charges, and having their Lokayukta nominee withdraw his candidature, the BJP is set to ask their two ministers — Co-operation minister, Laxman Savadi and Women and Child Welfare minister C.C. Patil to resign.
The two were caught watching porn between 5 pm and 5.30 pm just before the House was adjourned for the day.
Both ministers have denied wrongdoing. Savadi told this newspaper “I was watching a clipping based on a real life incident, where a woman gets raped by a gang of four men and then she is beheaded by these men.”
However, later he changed his story. “I received an MMS clip from environment minister Mr Krishna Palemar, on a rave party. I wanted to see how rave parties are organized, what happens in such parties. I wanted to enhance my knowledge about foreign culture.” Palemar, however, denied he had sent an MMS or that the ministers had his phone.
Patil also said that the clipping was of the rave party on St Mary’s island off the coastal town of Udupi which had been discussed in the house. He told this newspaper: “Wrong message should not go to the people. We tried to see the rave party clipping. I might have watched for three-to-four seconds. I would like to ask you, why should we watch blue films sitting inside the House?”
Staunch followers of former chief minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa camp, and both Lingayats, Mr Patil represents Naragund constituency, while Mr Savadi represents Athani constituency in Belagum district. Both were formerly in the Janata Dal (S) and joined the BJP in 2004.
Shell-shocked party president, K.S. Eshwarappa and Karnatak Speaker K.G. Bopaiah told this newspaper that they had already brought the matter to the notice of the party national leaders. Highly placed sources in the party said all three ministers will be asked to resign.
“The party does not want to carry the baggage of such action of ministers. So, we may obtain their resignation before the commencement of the session on Wednesday,” sources added.
The BJP state government has been rocked by scandal since it took office in May 2008, with the eloping and suicide of Padmapriya, wife of Udupi BJP MLA Raghupathy Bhat who had an alleged liaison with his friend Atul Rao, and the alleged rape of his friend’s wife by BJP MLA from Shimoga, Haratalu Halappa in 2010.
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