The complaint came after Yatnal claimed that a "great leader" has set aside Rs 1,000 crore, hinting at destabilising Karnataka's Congress government
Published Oct 01, 2024 | 10:56 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 02, 2024 | 1:08 PM
FIR filed against BJP MLA Yatnal over allegations of political conspiracy
An FIR has been registered against BJP MLA Basangouda R Patil Yatnal following a complaint from Congress worker S Manohar at the High Grounds Police Station in Bengaluru.
The complaint stems from Yatnal’s recent remarks claiming that a “great leader” has allegedly set aside ₹1,000 crore to destabilise the Congress government in Karnataka.
The controversy erupted after Yatnal made his comments while speaking to reporters in Davangere on 29 September. He hinted at a political conspiracy, stating, “You people know who the great leader is. I will not reveal his name. A currency note-counting machine was found in his home in the past.” Yatnal further asserted that this leader has been promising a significant political upheaval in December.
The Karnataka Congress strongly condemned Yatnal’s remarks, viewing them as a serious threat to democratic stability in the state. They demanded thorough investigations into the allegations and called for accountability.
Congress leader VS Ugrappa argued that Yatnal’s statements suggested a conspiracy to use corrupt funds to undermine the democratically-elected Congress government. He urged law enforcement to locate the alleged Rs 1,000 crore in “black money,” confiscate it, and take appropriate legal action against those involved.
Yatnal attempted to clarify his position by asserting that the BJP does not intend to actively topple the Congress government. “The government will fall on its own,” he stated, adding that many in the BJP have accumulated wealth, but insisted that party leadership would not support any attempts to destabilise the government.
Yatnal has managed to evade disciplinary action from the BJP’s high command since 2019, despite making several controversial statements that have harmed the party’s image.
Although many party leaders have called for consequences for the rebellious legislator — who was previously expelled from the party — his strong influence within his community continues to protect him from the central leadership’s wrath.
Yatnal’s controversial comments have become a recurring issue, but the party’s responses have been limited to issuing show-cause notices, seldom resulting in significant repercussions.
One notable instance of his dissent occurred when he criticised the BJP’s “Mysuru Chalo” padayatra aimed at opposing the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka, which was led by state unit president and MLA BY Vijayendra.
Yatnal described the padayatra as a “conspiracy” between Vijayendra and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to unseat Siddaramaiah. This comment sparked strong backlash from his fellow party members.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
