Congress stages dharna, demands Yeddyurappa govt resignation

The Opposition Congress in Karnataka today staged a dharna here demanding BS Yeddyurappa-led government's resignation, besides the immediate arrest of former minister H Halappa, against whom a complaint of rape has been lodged.

Hundreds of Congress workers accompanied by their leaders including opposition leader in the state assembly Siddaramaiah, KPCC president R V Deshpande and others converged in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue and alleged that that there was no protection to women under BJP rule.

Siddaramaiah demanded that a FIR be filed and Halappa be arrested.

He slammed Yeddyurappa for giving clean chit to his former ministerial colleague and asked "if this is the case, how can the police act against Halappa?

"The chief minister should quit and dissolve the state assembly", Siddaramaiah said. 

KPCC president Deshpande said during two years of BJP rule
at least three of its leaders are at the centre of controversy--B Raghupathy Bhat, MLA, whose wife committed suicide by hanging in Delhi during 2008, Excise Minister M P Renukacharya against whom a woman has alleged harassment and Halappa.