Karnataka CM and Minister receive life threat for banning lottery

Karnataka Government has taken serious note of the letter threatening to kill Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Minister for Lotteries Ramachandra Gowda in the wake of the ban imposed on lotteries in the State.

The letter threatening to “scalp” not only Kumaraswamy and Gowda, but also their family members, was received by the Lotteries Minister’s office a couple of weeks ago. But, the same had been kept under wraps till JD (U) MLA M P Nadagouda revealed it in the Legislative Council.

The letter sent in the name of Dinesh of Kalasipalya in Bangalore had been posted on February 28 at the Bangalore Fort Post Office through a registered post. The two-page letter addressed Gowda says “You and H D Kumaraswamy have been playing with our lives. We have already conveyed our views to Kumaraswamy in writing. He has neglected it as money and power have made him arrogant. Let him regret later when heads roll in his family ….”, the letter said.

In continuation the letter states “We want to bring to your notice that we have invested crores of rupees by selling our belongings to buy machines, secure shops on rent and give advances payments to employees. We will start hunting you if you fail to release the Karnataka Lucky Single Digit Lottery before April 5, 2007. First, we will hunt you and your family members and then turn to Chief Minister and his family. This is hundred percent guaranteed”, the letter said.

Ramachandra Gowda said he had brought this matter to the notice of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and also handed over the letter to the authorities concerned for necessary action.

Members of the Legislative Council, cutting across party lines, condemned the letter and urged the Government to initiate steps in the matter. “It is becoming increasingly impossible to speak out against anti-social activities even in the Legislature”, former Minister and Congress MLC B K Chandrashekar said.

Congress MLC Prabhakar Kore, who was in the Chair, instructed the Government to probe the matter and take stringent action against the persons behind the threatening letter. Leader of the House and Minister for Higher Education D H Shankarmurthy said the Government would take action to providing necessary security to Ramachandra Gowda and even identify the perpetrators of the crime.