Jarkiholi sex scandal: Siddaramaiah slams BJP's defence; asks 'Should they be in power?'

Slamming BJP for defending Ramesh Jarkiholi amid sexual allegations against him, ex-CM Siddaramaiah on Wednesday, stated that the government is indulging in 'immoral politics' by justifying Jarkiholi's act. Terming the ex-Karnataka minister as 'one of the most morally corrupt leaders of India', he demanded Jarkiholi's resignation.  Jarkilholi - a Congress-turned-BJP cabinet minister has resigned from his cabinet post after a video of him in a compromising situation was aired by local TV news channels. He had allegedly offered the woman a government job in lieu of sexual favours, which has been refuted by Jarkiholi.

Ramesh Jarkiholi reportedly offers resignation amid probe over alleged sex-CD scandal

Siddaramaiah: 'BJP justifying immoral politics'.

Moreover, while addressing a road show, he said, "I feel ashamed to talk about that. It is so vulgar to watch. These are ministers under Yediyurappa government. Now a minister has tendered his resignation, his brother meets Chief Minister Yediyurappa and says if u take the resignation of my brother, we will release your CD. Should this shameless government should be in power?"

Incidentally, Jarkiholi is one of 15 Congress MLAs who had jumped ship to BJP in 2019, leading to the fall of Kumaraswamy's govt. The Congress-turned-BJP leader was a part of both Kumaraswamy's cabinet and his predecessor - Siddaramaiah's cabinet. Jarkiholi was allegedly miffed with D K Shivakumar's growing stature in Belgavi, reportedly convincing 14 MLAs to resign in 2018.

Jarkiholi sex scandal: Karnataka Dy CM defends min; says 'resignation on moral grounds'

Karnataka Dy CM on Jarkiholi resignation

Deputy CM Ashwanth Narayan defended Jarkiholi saying that the minister had resigned on 'moral grounds'. Stating that a probe has been ordered into the incident he said that things will clear once the probe's report is out. Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that a probe had been ordered and Jarkiholi's resignation was not discussed in cabinet meeting.

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Jarkiholi sex scandal

A Bengaluru activist approached the Cubbon Park police with a complaint alleging that Jarkiholi (Water resources minister) asked for sexual favours to offer a woman a job in Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited. The activist complainant, Dinesh Kallahalli, has allegedly submitted a CD that has the clip involving Jarkiholi and the woman, along with audio clips. "The girl had approached the minister to seek permission to operate drone cameras to shoot a dam for a documentary. They met several times and this is when the minister sought to know more about her. During one such meeting, Mr. Jarkiholi promised her a job at Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd, in return for sexual favours," reads the complaint.

Refuting the allegations, Jarkiholi said, "I am myself very shocked by the allegation. Let the truth come out through an inquiry. Even though I am innocent, am taking moral responsibility and resigning from my post in the cabinet ".  Following him tendering his resignation, Jarkiholi's supporters held a protest march upholding his claims of innocence and appealing to the Yediyurappa government to not accept it.

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