From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Nov 17: Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly and senior BJP leader R Ashoka has challenged the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government to constitute a probe by Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the charge of collecting Rs 700 crore from the excise department.
The SIT must be constituted into the charge levelled by State Excise Merchants Association, he said addressing a news conference in Bengaluru on Sunday.
Ashoka claimed that that the 40% commission charge levelled by the Congress party against the BJP government had been proved false by the Lokayukta report.
“The Congress party lied to the people on the 40% Commission charge against BJP rule. Siddaramaiah has now become 100% corrupt and evidence of minister after ministers looting funds has surfaced during the last 18 months of Congress rule,” he said.
The BJP leader criticised the chief minister’s claim of maintaining an unblemished record over the last 40 years of his political career, which he described as a "clean open book." He added, "However, every page of this book is marked with black stains, which is truly unfortunate."
Ashoka tried to clarify that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim of Rs 700 crore loot from excise lobby for funding Congress party’s election campaign in Maharashtra was “not an allegation made by Modi but by the State Excise Dealers Association.”
He asked the chief minister to read the letter by the Association. “Mofi has merely repeated the accusations in the letter and has not made a direct charge himself,” he explained.
The BJP leader pointed out that the allegation by State Contractors Association vice-president Ambikapathi with regard to 40% commission in BBMP contracts has been proved to be false in the Lokyaukta report. The 40% commission allegation against BJP is Congress party’s toolkit, he said.
He attacked the State Government for its failure to fill up the potholes and arrange garbage displace. The Government has increased taxes, rates and prices of milk, current, petrol diesel, stamp duty, registration charges and was now preparing the ground to levy cess on garbage collection.
Ashoka stated that withdrawing all five guarantees amounts to the "sixth guarantee" and warned that the people will ensure the end of Siddaramaiah's regime.