Siddaramaiah wants S M Krishna to take back his resignation

Times of India‎‎: Bengaluru: Tuesday, January 31, 2017.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday urged former chief minister S M Krishna to take back his resignation to the Congress party. Siddaramaiah said he would speak to Krishna and try to resolve issue if any.

"Krishna has served in all important capacities including those of chief minister, governor and minister for external affairs. He should have not taken this step at this point in time," Siddaramaiah said.

"The party high command is touch with him. My cabinet colleagues are talking to him. I too will speak to him. We want him to take back his resignation," the chief minister added.

Siddaramaiah was replying to media queries about Krishna's resignation, after the chief minister inaugurated the new building Mahithi Soudha for Karnataka Information Commission (KIC).

The former chief minister Krishna had resigned from primary membership of the Congress on Saturday complaining the party of side lining him and hurting his self-respect.

Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah inaugurated Mahithi Soudha built on a site close to Vidhana Soudha at the cost of 17 crore. With this, KIC became the first state information commission to have its own office building.

Mahithi Soudha, with 3,013 square metre built-up area, has four floors housing seven court halls. It took four years to complete the construction work.

"It is to its distinction that KIC is the first information commission in the country to function from its own office building. The state government is committed to extend all its support to the commission," said Siddaramaiah while addressing a gathering at the inaugural function.

He said the state government had spent 50 per cent of the cost of the building, while Centre chipped in with equal amount of contribution.

He assured that the state government would soon appoint a full-time chief information commissioner (CIC). The post of CIC had fallen vacant after the incumbent D N Narasimharaju resigned to join the central service in November last year. Senior information commissioner L Krishnamurthy is the in-charge CIC at present. The chief minister also promised to fill vacant posts of information commissioner in the six-member strong commission.

Commenting on the Right to Information Act being misused, Siddaramaiah there is no designated 'RTI activist' under the provision of the RTI Act and the so called RTI activists should seek information from the government only when it is necessary.

"The idea of RTI is to make governance transparent. However, it should never be misused. People should seek information only when it is really needed and the intent should be protecting people's interest," Siddaramaiah added.