8-10 MLAs viewed porn, says probe panel member

DHNS

• Bid to save BJP face, says opposition

 

Haveri/ Bangalore, 05 March 2012: In a new twist to the “porngate” episode, Nehru Olekar, MLA and member of the House committee probing the incident, said on Sunday that eight to ten legislators other than the three former ministers had watched the controversial clipping in the Assembly.

 

Speaking to reporters in Haveri, Olekar said the panel would soon issue notices to these MLAs as the CCTV footage of the House had shown them watching porn clippings on their mobile phones. The MLAs belong to different parties, Olekar said. He refused to name them. Their details will be made public after notices are issued to them.

 

The House committee headed by Srishailappa Bidarur is inquiring into the incident inside the Legislative Assembly wherein two ministers Lakshman Savadi and C C Patil were caught by television cameras watching porn on a mobile phone belonging to another minister Krishna Palemar.

 

Olekar said the panel would quiz the three former ministers on March 8. The report of the House committee may be submitted on March 13. But since more MLAs have to be questioned, the report is likely to be submitted to the government on March 20 before the budget session, Olekar said.

 

Opposition leaders have reacted sharply to the Olekar’s “revelation.”

 

Siddaramaiah, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, said Olekar “is trying to dilute the seriousness” of the entire episode by blaming others. “By stating that more MLAs, including those in the Opposition, had viewed the porn clipping at a time when the inquiry is under progress, it is obvious that he is trying to mislead the public,” Siddaramaiah said. Indications are that the panel is trying to cover up the entire episode.

 

Janata Dal (Secular) MLC and spokesperson YSV Datta said: “Olekar is trying to save his party by making such statements. He is trying to imply ‘Your MLAs also watched porn inside the House, so what is wrong if our legislators also watched it.’

 

The House committee, which has been reduced to an all-BJP panel following the boycott of Congress and JD(S) members, has so far held three sittings in Bangalore. The next sitting is scheduled for March 8.

 

The committee has already questioned representatives of two private Kannada TV news channels, which had beamed two former ministers watching porn clippings.