In an embarrassment to the ruling Congress in Karnataka, senior party leader Janardhan Poojary today demanded resignation of Labour Minister Parameshwara Naik, who allegedly got a woman police official transferred for putting his call on hold.
Poojary alleged that the minister had wanted DySP Anupama Shenoy to protect one of his relatives in a murder case, which was turned down by her, but he did not elaborate on his charge further.
"The minister wanted the DySp to save one of his relatives in a murder case but she did not bow down to pressure. She was also against the sand mafia," Poojary, a former Union Minister and KPCC chief, said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the incident was shameful for Congress and wanted to know from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah whether such ministers were needed in the cabinet.
The CM has also defended the transfer as an "administrative matter."
Though Naik initially dismissed the charge, saying she was transferred for administrative reasons, he later boasted at a meeting of party workers that it was he who got her transferred for not waiting long enough for him to come on phone.
Shenoy, who hails from Mangaluru, was transferred to Athani in Belagavi district and later to Indi in Vijayapura district allegedly at the instance of Naik.
A video showing Naik making the boastful claim at a meeting had gone viral on Janary 27.
Describing the "forced transfer" of the woman police official as "shameful" for the party and the government, Poojary demanded that Shenoy be immediately reinstated at Kudligi in Ballari district.
