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Wild allegations against JD (S)
Updated On: 21 April, 2010 08:39 AM IST | | B V Shiva Shankar
Arrested leader of party's women's cell says she was forced to trade in leopard skin to recoup money she donated to party coffers
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Arrested leader of party's women's cell says she was forced to trade in leopard skin to recoup money she donated to party coffers
Poaching and not politics appears to be the last refuge of the scoundrel in Karnataka. Bela Vasanthi (50), the state organising secretary of JD (S) women's cell, blames her party for pushing her into the world of crime.
Vasanthi was arrested by the police's forest cell yesterday as she tried to sell a leopard skin for Rs 3 lakh to forest officials posing as buyers at the Woodland hotel.
"I have been a member of the Janata Dal (Secular) for over a decade now. What did I get in return? Nothing.
This despite the fact that I have emptied my coffers for the party. Our leaders enjoyed power and made money. Party members like me have been left in the lurch.
They have turned us into criminals," said Vasanthi, who told her that Kumar, a member of JD (S) youth wing had supplied the skin to her.
"He told me that the business was lucrative and assured me that the money earned from sale of animal skins would aid us in our political career and help us live a good life," Vasanthi said.
Hasan-resident Kumar is absconding. The police have registered a case against him.
"Kumar spent Rs 10 lakh when our party faced the Chamundeswary by-poll in 2007," said Vasanthi.
"It was a prestigious election for the party and we put all we had on the gamble. However, once the polls were over our leaders had no time to look at us."
H D Kumaraswamy, the then chief minister and JD (S) chief, had fought the by-poll as a matter of honour. Siddaramiah, who had defected from the JD (S) to join Congress managed to win despite all odds.
Party members were upset with Kumaraswamy because he did not nominate them to boards and corporations in the state despite being chief minister.
Poaching and not politics appears to be the last refuge of the scoundrel in Karnataka. Bela Vasanthi (50), the state organising secretary of JD (S) women's cell, blames her party for pushing her into the world of crime.
Vasanthi was arrested by the police's forest cell yesterday as she tried to sell a leopard skin for Rs 3 lakh to forest officials posing as buyers at the Woodland hotel.
"I have been a member of the Janata Dal (Secular) for over a decade now. What did I get in return? Nothing.
This despite the fact that I have emptied my coffers for the party. Our leaders enjoyed power and made money. Party members like me have been left in the lurch.
 |
| Bela Vasanthi with the leopard skin she was caught trying to sell at Woodland Hotel yesterday. |
They have turned us into criminals," said Vasanthi, who told her that Kumar, a member of JD (S) youth wing had supplied the skin to her.
"He told me that the business was lucrative and assured me that the money earned from sale of animal skins would aid us in our political career and help us live a good life," Vasanthi said.
Hasan-resident Kumar is absconding. The police have registered a case against him.
"Kumar spent Rs 10 lakh when our party faced the Chamundeswary by-poll in 2007," said Vasanthi.
"It was a prestigious election for the party and we put all we had on the gamble. However, once the polls were over our leaders had no time to look at us."
H D Kumaraswamy, the then chief minister and JD (S) chief, had fought the by-poll as a matter of honour. Siddaramiah, who had defected from the JD (S) to join Congress managed to win despite all odds.
Party members were upset with Kumaraswamy because he did not nominate them to boards and corporations in the state despite being chief minister.
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