Controversy around Anupama Shenoy's resignation gets murkier

State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa today charged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with silently backing some Congress workers who caused 'mental agony' on Anupama Shenoy, who resigned as DSP at Kudligi reportedly in protest against their interference in her official duties.

Anupama had tendered her resignation yesterday after these people protested against the preventive detention of the trio, who wanted to extend their liquor shop, which would have blocked a road leading to Ambedkar Bhavan. The complaint was lodged by Dalit leaders.

Yeddyurappa, in a statement here, charged that the mental agony perpetrated by Congress workers on Anupama Shenoy had the silent nod of the Congress government in general and Chief Minister in particular.

He alleged that the episode started with Labour Minister Parameshwar Naik who got the woman police officer shunted out six months ago on flimsy ground.  In a video that went viral, Karnataka Labour Minster P T Parameshwar Naik owns up to have been the reason behind the transfer of a senior woman police official.

In the footage, he openly admits Deputy Superintendent of Police Anupama Shenoy was shifted because she did not receive a call.  One of the residents of Hoovinahadagali in Ballari district said that the cable network was disconnected immediately after the clip was aired on the news channels.

“As she did not receive my call, I have asked her to be transferred. When it comes to respect, it has to be mutual,” said the labour minister in the video clip. 

The CM and Home Minister did not defend her or take Naik to the task. Instead, they stood by him and transferred her, thus creating a demoralising environment, he contended.

Recalling the Upa Lokayukta Subash Adi controversy, he said the CM and his party workers had created a situation of helplessness for Anupama, forcing her to resign in disgust.

"It may be recalled that the government humiliated as well as tried to cast aspersions on Justice Subhash Adi, Upa Lokayukta. But the panel constituted by the High Court royally slapped and snubbed the Congress government," he said.

Yeddyurappa demanded that Home Minister G Parameshwara put an end to this 'shameful episode' and said that as KPCC President, he must discipline his party workers for creating a disgusting situation for an honest police officer to resign.

He also said Anupama's resignation in protest against interference of Congress workers in her official duties was a telling comment on the 'disgusting and suffocating atmosphere' prevailing in Karnataka under the Siddaramaiah headed Congress government. He also said it was reprehensible to subject Anupama to humiliation and harassment for the second time in the last six months.