‘Provide evidence’: CM, Cong spar on Bitcoin scam

NT Correspondent

The ruling BJP and the  Opposition Congress continue to spar on the multicrore Bitcoin scam with  Chief Minister Basavaraj  Bommai once again challenging Congress leaders  to provide relevant documents to the investigative  agencies while accusing it  of playing politics to keep a  ‘non-issue’ alive.

Talking to reporters  on his return from Tirupati after attending the  Southern Zonal Council  meeting here on Monday,  Bommai refused to take  any fresh questions on the  Bitcoin scandal and asked  the media to question the  Congress instead. Asked  whether Congress is trying to set a narrative which  goes against him, Bommai  said “there is no question  of setting any narrative,  there is no story, so how can  you set a narrative?”

The CM also said Union  Home Minister Amit Shah  has instructed the Union  water resources ministry  to decide on the allocation of water share of the  respective basin states before preparing the Detailed  Project Report (DPR) for the  Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery and Palar river linking project. “ Many issues  related to southern states  were resolved at the meeting’’, he said and added that  he had strongly urged the  Centre to take appropriate  measures to issue a gazette  notification on the Krishna  Water Tribunal-2 award.“

The meeting also discussed the issue of providing necessary land for  the Metro Rail project in  Bengaluru. Shah asked the  states to initiate measures  to avoid use of anti-biotics  in fishing, quick disposal  of POCSO cases, and filing  of charge sheets in a given  time frame, Bommai said.  The Mekedatu project too  was raised, but it could not  be taken up for discussion  as the Tamil Nadu CM did  not attend the meeting.  The Union water resources  minister would be urged  to remove the obstacles for  implementation of the Mekedatu project. “The issue  was discussed with legal  experts during my recent  visit to Delhi,” Bommai  disclosed.

Referring to the water  dispute with Tamil Nadu,  he said, “the dispute has  been lingering from the preindependence era. Tamil  Nadu has been indulging  in politics over river water  sharing. The neighbouring  state has raised objections  even after the Cauvery  River Water Tribunal pronounced its award. We too  have submitted our objections against the Tamil  Nadu’s government’s stand.  These issues should be resolved judicially.”

On the progress of the  Peripheral Ring Road project for Bengaluru, the chief  ministe said that two meetings had been held in this  regard.

A few changes had been  made in the proposed project and it will be finalised  soon.