Congress MLA, former Minister and newly appointed KPCC campaign committee chairman MB Patil talks to Deccan Herald at his office in Bengaluru on Saturday, March 26, 2022.
DH PHOTO/PUSHKAR V
Claiming that the Congress government has no role whatsoever in the arrest warrant issued against former CM B S Yediyurappa in a Pocso case, Large & Medium Industries Minister M B Patil on Friday said the government can neither intervene nor protect anyone in the cases booked under the said Act.
“The Pocso Act is very serious, and you have seen the case against the Chitradurga seer. It’s the court, not us, which issued the arrest warrant. Law will take its own course,” he told reporters here.
Replying to a specific query, Patil said, “There is no question of sacking any minister in the wake of Lok Sabha polls results. It is just a media creation. All have faced the elections seriously. We will introspect about the results in the party forum and discuss issues like why there was a setback and how to move ahead,” he said.
“We will also discuss the impact of guarantee schemes. There is no plan to withdraw them. The CM post is not vacant now, and there is no question of changing the CM now. The BJP cannot topple the government as no Congress MLA is joining the saffron party. In fact, a few BJP MLAs are with us while some JD(S) MLAs also want to come,” he claimed.
On the demand for more deputy chief ministers by a section of Congmen, Patil said, the issue will be
discussed on the party platform
On Darshan’s case
When asked about ‘VIP treatment’ for film actor Darshan, who is arrested in connection with a murder case, at a police station in Bengaluru, Patil said, “There is no such thing. Accused is an accused, and he/she will be punished if charges are proved.”
He also said Darshan cannot be continued as the brand ambassador of the Agriculture Department.
Patil said he would meet in person Union Heavy Industries & Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy and urge him to take steps to promote the semiconductor industry in the state.