Cheque-bounce case: Congress rejects BJP’s demands for Bangarappa Jr’s resignation

The ruling Congress on Monday rejected BJP’s demands for resignation of Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa in the wake of his conviction by a special court in Bengaluru in a cheque-bounce case.The Congress maintained that the conviction had been handed down in a case involving the minister’s personal business, and the case has nothing to do with his official position.

The minister, who hails from Shivamogga district, has not misused taxpayers’ money, committed any irregularity or a scam or has caused financial loss to the government, the ruling party said, dismissing the demands for his sacking from the ministry.

The Congress, instead, sought to turn tables on the BJP, seeking an answer on the charges levelled by its own MLA (Basanagouda Patil Yatnal) that the previous government was involved in a Rs 40,000 crore scam. BJP state unit president BY Vijayendra must answer these allegations instead of diverting to Bangarappa’s case.A special court, last week, convicted the education minister in a cheque bounce case and ordered him to pay a fine of Rs 6.96 crore failing which he was ordered to undergo a sentence of six months. The court held Akash Audio-Video and its director Madhu Bangarappa guilty under Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act.

Soon after the verdict was out, Vijayendra and the BJP called the development a `black mark’ on the government and sought Bangarappa Jr’s resignation to uphold moral values. He urged chief minister Siddaramaiah to fire the minister if he does not resign on his own.