With politicians and scams becoming almost synonymous of late, the decision by Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister to resign from the Cabinet in the wake of mere allegations over filing a false affidavit has raised the bar for politicians in the State.

Mr Suresh Kumar resigned on moral grounds on June 23 following a media report that charged him of obtaining a Bangalore Development site under the Chief Minister’s discretionary quota by withholding information that his mother and daughter owned two sites and a house in the City.

Within four days of his decision, the Advocate General Mr S Vijayashankar said the Minister did not supress  any information at the time of filing the affidavit and given him a clean chit.  Mr Kumar has now withdrawn his resignation. He has also surrendered the site at Rajmahal Vilas Extension Second State, valued at nearly Rs 4.8 crore now.

What is commendable is that he refused to withdraw his resignation in the face of intense pressure from top BJP leaders, his own partymen and even Opposition members. He stood his ground that he would not enter the Cabinet unless proved innocent of the charges.

If other members of the BJP government follow suit, a whole bunch may have to quit their posts and most may never get back covered with glory in the manner the Law Minister did.

Chief Minister Mr D V SadanandaGowda stands accused of using the BDA site allotted to him for commercial purposes; Housing Minister Mr V Somanna is accused of ordering cancellation of an industrial site using a forged signature as the basis apart from being the accused in land denotification cases; Excise Minister Mr M P Renukacharya faces charges of violating excise rules; Forest Minister C P Yogeshwar is accused of duping many people who applied for sites in the layout he had formed while Mr R Ashok, Home and Transport Minister is accused of purchasing a site after getting it denotifiedint eh name of the original owner.

It must be seen if Mr Suresh Kumar’s act goads others to throw in the towel and clear their names. If this happens, it will set a new precedent in modern Karnataka politics. 

                                                                                                                                                      By S. Lalitha