Karnataka - Madikeri   

Resignation of Kodagu Zilla Panchayat president sought

Staff Correspondent

He allegedly beat up his driver in a drunken state

Madikeri: Congress party members in Kodagu Zilla Panchayat (ZP) have demanded the resignation of president H.S. Ashok, alleging he had abused his car driver, who was a Dalit, and beaten him up in a drunken state.

M.K. Nanjappa, a member, told presspersons here on Wednesday that the president had put the panchayat in a poor light by abusing and beating up the driver in a drunken state at a bar in Kushalnagar on May 28. The police had booked a case following pressurefrom Dalit groups, but no action had been initiated against Mr. Ashok, he alleged. If Mr. Ashok did not resign, the Congress members would take recourse to agitation, he added.

Sanjay Jiviijaya, another member, alleged that Mr. Ashok had changed his driver six times ever since he took over five months ago. Mr. Ashok had also failed to initiate development works, he alleged.

The members have met Superintendent of Police K. Ramachandra Rao, seeking action against Mr. Ashok, they said.

They wanted him to be arrested and an atrocity case booked against him. Members Abdul Lateef, Vrinda Babu, Raja Rao, Humayun Begum, Vijaya, Bhanumati, Deergakeshi Shivanna, and Rajamma accusing the BJP-JD (S) panchayat administration of fostering "goonda raj."

Janata Dal (Secular) members had assaulted the president of the Gonicoppa gram panchayat, who was a Congress member, recently, they alleged.

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