The Congress today suspended Karnataka legislator Roshan Baig with immediate effect for indulging in “anti-party activities”, days after he criticised the state leadership over its performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections. The opposition party took the step on the basis of a proposal forwarded by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), which also pointed at Mr Baig’s alleged links with the main accused in a multi-crore ponzi scam.
The Karnataka legislator had criticised the state leadership even as exit polls predicted a grim fate for the Congress-Janata Dal Secular (JDS) coalition in the Lok Sabha elections. He had called party in-charge KC Venugopal a “buffoon”, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah “arrogant” and KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao a “flop show”.
Mr Baig also told Muslims that they should “compromise with the situation” if the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance returns to power in the country. “If the NDA is coming back to power, I humbly appeal to Muslim brothers to learn to compromise with the situation,” he said back then. “No seats were given to Christians and only one seat was given to Muslims in Karnataka… they were ignored. I’m upset with this, we have been used.”
Although Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara reacted in a diplomatic manner, Dinesh Gundu Rao was clearly upset over being called names. “I think it is a sad reflection on a person like him to use such words. To speak like this in public, it shows complete lack of culture,” he had said.
Mr Baig has been feeling sidelined in the Congress for some time now. According to sources, he was sorely disappointed when the Deputy Chief Minister’s position in the coalition government went to G Parameshwara instead of him.
Earlier in the day, Dinesh Gundu Rao had said that Mr Baig’s alleged links with IMA Jewels — a firm accused of duping thousands of investors — would also be brought to the notice of the party’s central leadership. According to reports, firm owner Mansoor Khan had left behind an audio clip in which he blamed Mr Baig for his problems before going into hiding.
The legislator, however, claimed that he has been made a scapegoat by the actual accused in the case. “The CBI has all the resources at their disposal to nab this Economic Fugitive before he plans another escape. This man has done nothing but enrage innocent people by exploiting their emotions and confusing the law enforcement agencies by faking a suicide,” he tweeted.
