From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Oct 30: Corruption is rampant under BJP rule in Karnataka as more sordid details of scams, 40% commission and other scandals are coming out daily, alleged Congress Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and KPCC Chief D K Shivakumar in Bengaluru on Sunday.
Addressing a joint news conference at the KPCC office, the Congress leaders claimed that 40% commissions in government contracts issue which was taken up first by the State Contractors Association by lodging a complaint to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now encompassed all departments.
Responding to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s comment that Congress should halt the victory march of BJP if the opposition party had any guts, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar said: “Let the Chief Minister and ruling party leaders first prove that they have the guts to order probes into all the corruption charges and punish the guilty. They can talk about other parties later.”
The corruption in the road works and repairs has worsened to such an extent that the roads have damaged within days of laying them or undertaking repairs, the Congress leaders said pointing out that the situation has reached such ugly proportions that people are dying and suffering serious injuries due to the potholes and damaged roads.
The Congress leaders said the deaths on roads in accidents due to damaged roads is nothing but murders committed by the government and said the authorities have completely failed in maintenance.
“Collecting money and corruption has become more important to the government than lives and well-being of people,” Shivakumar said.
Siddaramaiah said the widespread corruption in the Basavaraj Bommai-led administration has reached such proportions that even a cabinet minister like M T B Nagaraj has openly attributed the death due to heart attack of the suspended police Inspector of KR Puram Nandish as one being caused due to depression over payment of Rs 70 to 80 lakh to get a posting.
The death of Inspector Nandish is proof that corruption is rampant even in the recruitment and posting or transfers of police officers, Shivakumar said.
To a question on the Hubballi contractor Basavaraj Amargol lodging a police complaint on February 22 that his bills for the supplies during the Covid period were yet to be cleared and the officers were demanding 30 to 40% and his letter to the President seeking permission for mercy death as he is unable to clear his loans to make the supplies, Siddaramaiah said the government should answer these charges.
Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah complimented the journalists who declined to accept the gift hampers with hefty cash payments and said the journalists who refused were upholding their integrity and independence. They claimed that the Congress had offered mere sweet hampers and never made cash payments to journalists and said the ruling party was now trying to buy and influence the media by offering bribes.
The Congress leaders alleged that the nefarious operation Kamala of buying MLAs started in Karnataka has now spread to other states and in Telangana, the persons who offered Rs 100 crore inducements to the MLAs to switch loyalties have been sent to jail.
All these scandals must be probed by a Supreme Court judge to put an end to the menace, they said warning that more and more democratically elected governments will be forced to pay the price.
The party worked out details to welcome the newly elected AICC President Mallikarjuna Kharge to Bengaluru on November 6.
Apart from the KPCC Chief and Siddaramaiah, KPCC Working Presidents Eshwar Khandre, Saleem Ahmed, M B Patil,MLA Ajay Singh, MLC Dinesh Gooligowda, Dr G Parameshwara, B Ramalinga Reddy, Congress leaders Mansur Ali Khan, IG Sanadi and others attended the meeting.