Shobha Opts to Prove her 'Innocence' at Dharmasthala
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Nov 19: If the land scam-tainted Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa wants to prove his 30-month-old BJP Government’s bona-fides by instituting a judicial inquiry headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court into all land allotments and denotifications during the last 10 years, his protégé and cabinet colleague Shobha Karandlaje prefers an even bigger authority in the form of Lord Manjunatha of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala to prove her ''innoncence.”
The only woman cabinet minister in the Yeddyurappa regime, who holds the crucial Energy portfolio, was visibly upset at the allegations and insinuations against her integrity when former chief minister and state JD(S) chief H D Kumaraswamy had publicly questioned her integrity by asking how she could run a company and borrow crores of rupees as loans with a meagre monthly salary of Rs 15,000.
The Energy Minister, who addressed a news conference in Bangalore on Friday, took umbrage at Kumaraswamy’s allegations and challenged the latter to come to Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala to prove his charges of corruption against her before Lord Manjunatha.
''I am not corrupt. I have not received bribe either by transferring officials or awarding contracts works or by carrying out inferior quality works,” she said declaring: ''I am ready to answer all questions and charges of Kumaraswamy before Lord Manjunatha in Dharmasthala.”
Karandlaje said she would bring her parents to the temple and appealed Kumaraswamy also to bring his parents to the temple to proclaim the truth in their presence.
''I have not taken a bribe of even Rs five,” she claimed.
She released copies of a three-page letter written by her to Yeddyurappa and said many people in the district go to Dharmasthala to tell the truth and get disputes settled.
''Nobody has the guts to tell lies before Lord Manjunatha. I am ready swear before Lord Manjunatha and answer all the charges of Kumaraswamy,” she said.
Karandlaje pointed out that nearly 90 per cent of the people of the state have faith in God. ''As several years are required to settle the dispute in the court, I appeal to Kumaraswamy to come to the temple and level the allegations before Lord Manjunatha. I am not demanding any other proof,” she said.
The minister explained that she started a company named Kapila-Manjushri Apparels Private Limited during the political crisis in 2006-07.
''I pledged a housing site allotted to me by former Chief Minister N Dharam Singh and borrowed Rs three crore loan from the State Bank of India to start the firm,” she said.
She explained that she started an agency to sell garments of Aravind Mills with a commission of 16 per cent.
But as much as 14 per cent of the commission goes towards the repayment of the loan. The company incurred loss on account of the meagre margins. The company is now being run by Laxman and Praveen, she said.
The minister also disclosed that she purchased 166 acres of coffee plantation Tannimani near Bhagmandala, Kodagu district in 2007 by obtaining Rs five crore loan from the Federal Bank. She claimed to have pledged the property to secure the loan.
''I have come up in life the hard way. I know what it means to survive. I don’t believe in acquiring ill-gotten wealth,” she declared and wondered how it was wrong for a woman to start a company or buy coffee estate. ''Is there any law against such activities?” she asked.