The Bharatiya Janata Party government on Friday blamed the Congress government in Karnataka for the security lapse at Lokayukta office when Justice PV Shetty was attacked and demanded that the governor recommend President’s rule in the state, PTI reported.

On March 7, a man had stabbed Shetty at least three times with a knife. The accused was sent to five days in police custody, while the state Cabinet suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (Vishana Soudha) Yogesh for security lapse. The 74-year-old anti-corruption ombudsman is now in stable condition, doctors at Mallya Hospital have said.

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“The government that cannot provide security to the honourable judge is not fit to continue in power even for a minute,” BJP’s Karnataka unit chief BS Yeddyurappa said. “Governor has to immediately take action and should recommend President’s rule. Nowhere in the country, the sitting Lokayukta has been attacked.”

Yeddyurappa alleged that the law and order situation in the state was deteriorating day by day. He quoted numbers indicating the rise in cases of murder, atrocities against Dalits and dacoity. “This is Siddaramaiah government’s record. The chief minister has to give an explanation to the people of the state,” the former chief minister of Karnataka said.

The BJP leader also demanded that the governor must take legal action against Siddaramaiah. He said the chief minister should resign on moral grounds.

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He also referred to the allegations made by Retired Director General of Police (prisons) HN Satyanarayana Rao, who is facing charges for allegedly providing special privileges to VK Sasikala in Bengaluru Central Jail. Rao had claimed that he was ordered by Siddaramaiah to provide the facilities to Sasikala.

“This for the first time in the history of the country, a chief minister has tried to help a jail inmate,” Yeddyurappa said. “This is an insult to our democratic system.”