K’taka CM Yediyurappa Supports Tejasvi, Says He Did a ‘Good Job’

Surya had stormed a COVID war room and triggered a communal controversy by targeting Muslim employees of the BBMP.

Two days after Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Tejasvi Surya rendered his apology to a Bruhat Bengaluru Municipal Corporation (BBMP) officer, Sarfaraz Khan, for “inadvertently dragging his name into the bed scam controversy”, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has come out in support of the MP.

On Friday, 7 May, Yediyurappa, who was visiting Annamma Devi temple, said, “Tejasvi Surya has risked himself and exposed the corruption. He brought it to my notice. I sat down with him and initiated action. I thank him for doing this.”

What Surya Did

Tejasvi Surya, along with three BJP MLAs, on Wednesday, 5 May, had stormed into the Bengaluru South war room for COVID support and read out names of 16 presumably Muslim employees. The MP later called a press conference to expose a hospital bed scam. He accused BBMP officials of bulk booking hospital beds earmarked for COVID-19 patients and selling it in the black market.

However, the 16 names he had read out started making rounds on social media with several troll handles sharing a message accusing Muslim and Christian employees of being “terrorists” who have taken “Hindu lives”. As many as 17 contractual employees of the BBMP were sacked after the MP’s showdown.

CM’s Remarks Offer Support

Slamming former minister for food and civil supplies, BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan for coming down on Tejasvi Surya, Yediyurappa said, “I request Zameer not to make such statements against Tejasvi...on behalf of the government.”

He further stated, “Regarding coronavirus, we need to tighten the rules further. I will consult with concerned authorities and experts tomorrow to discuss what measures can further be imposed to control this.”

Civil Society Asks CM to Rein in Surya

Meanwhile, a letter signed by over 200 members of the civil society has asked the Chief Minister to take action against Surya for inciting communal tensions.

“The followers (of Surya) viciously attacked senior BBMP officials and doctors because they were either Muslims or Christians... As the Chief Minister of Karnataka, we urge you to take note of these shocking attempts to communalise the COVID response,” the letter read.