Detailed report on KPCC flood relief scam to be sent to Sonia
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, June 8: A detailed report on the allegations regarding misappropriation of funds and materials collected for the victims of last year’s worst-ever flood havoc in north Karnataka region by KPCC will be sent to the party high command, according to former union minister and AICC Secretary Oscar Fernandes.
Talking to reporters, Fernandes, who is a candidate for the ensuing June 17 elections to the Rajya Sabha from the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, said the party would conduct its own inquiry into all the allegations.
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) had raised a total sum of Rs 2.07 crore towards flood relief works last year.
Of the total amount, according to details bank accounts allegedly released by party insiders to the media, a sum of Rs 75 lakh had been kept in fixed deposits and the party had paid Rs 4,50,861 to Vebas Advertisements, Rs 7,000 on buying T-Shirts, Rs 70,000 to Digital Palace towards printing 150 copies of flood relief report, Rs 84,000 and Rs 6,86,400 for buying woolen blankets, Rs 17,672 for banners and stickers, Rs 10,92,830 towards purchase of sarees and Rs 1,67,000 towards transport of relief materials.
Incidentally, a sum of Rs 13,824 was spent on buying air-ticket to Delhi for former union minister M V Rajashekaran, MLC.
KPCC president R V Deshpande had clarified that the funds had not be misused as alleged. The amount was not spent immediately on the advice of various district Congress committees as the government was itself carrying out the relief works. Instead of keeping the money idle in the bank, which would have earned a meagre interest at 3.5 % per annum in savings bank account, a portion of the funds were kept in fixed deposits to fetch higher returns at 9 %.
"The money is safe. Everything in KPCC is accounted for and the party is not so bankrupt as to utilise money mobilised from philanthropists and donors for flood relief works,” Deshpande had said while stongly defending the buying of the air-ticket to a veteran leader like Rajashekaran to join the Congress delegation to Delhi for meeting central leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi when all the other 25 leaders had purchase the air-tickets by paying from their own pockets.
Deshpande alleged that the entire media reports were the handiwork of some party insiders who were privy to the accounts and bank details, who wanted to tarnish his image in order to prevent his chances of entering the Rajya Sabha election fray.
"I am heading a large number of philanthropic organisations engaged in charitable work. I myself have been making regular huge donations for the cause of people, especially the downtrodden,” he said pointing out that there was no reason for him to use the party money, especially the donations collected for flood-victims.
He clarified that the party paid Rs. 2.54 lakh for purchasing tiles to be distributed to those who wanted to build houses in the flood-hit areas.
"Misappropriating or misusing donations collected for flood relief works is nothing but cheating one’s own mother. I would never stoop to such low levels,” he said asserting that he can spend much more than the amount allegedly misappropriated.
Deshpande asserted that he know the people behind the entire episode and will apprise the party high command about the details. ``I will disclose names at the appropriate time,” he added.