The state BJP on Tuesday staged a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru over.
The alleged corruption in state, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the seizure of huge amounts of cash at premises linked to some government contractors, real estate developers and their associates last week in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and New Delhi.
“We are seeing that the Congress is working with a single agenda to loot, collect money and send it to other poll-bound states,” alleged former chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda, who led the party leaders in the demonstration.
The party leaders displayed the replica of an ATM machine at the protest, with ‘Congress ATM Sarkar’ written on it. They also raised slogans against the Congress government, chief minister Siddaramaiah, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar and the party’s central leadership. “The loot that is happening in Karnataka has never happened anywhere in the country,” Gowda alleged.
He said the Congress had initially said it will not release funds to the contractors for pending bills, only to build pressure on them to pay bribes. “Karnataka is like an ATM for the Assembly elections in the five states. An investigation by the IT department will not suffice. Those unseen hands behind it should also be brought to the fore. A CBI probe must be ordered to expose those who are behind the loot.”
The Central Board of Direct Taxes said on Monday that the IT department has seized ₹94 crore in cash as well as gold, diamond jewellery worth ₹8 crore and 30 luxury watches following raids on government contractors and real estate developers in Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi. In Karnataka, the IT sleuths seized about ₹42 crore in cash from a contractor and his son, people aware of the matter said.
BJP SC Morcha state president Chalavadi Narayanaswamy lashed out at the Congress government in the state and said, “The government has started looting thousands of crores of rupees in the state. During the IT raid, ₹42 crore was found under the couch at the contractor’s house. Whose is it? They had accused us of 40% commission. But there was no record of it.”
Former minister R Ashoka hit out at the Congress government over its guarantees, and said the prices of all the commodities have increased after it assumed power. “The cost of both milk that children drink and alcohol has increased. A lot of mistakes are happening under this government. Therefore, it is the feeling of the people that this government should be removed.”
“They accused our government of 40% commission. When we asked for proof, they didn’t have anything. We told them to investigate. Now, there is evidence that there is corruption in their own government. What else is needed?” Ashoka added.
Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday refuted the allegations made by the BJP that the money recovered in the raids conducted by the Income Tax department belongs to the Congress government. “Entire corruption is by the BJP only. The BJP is the foundation of corruption, that’s why the people of Karnataka threw them away. Money that has been found is linked to BJP leaders and it is nowhere connected to the Congress government.”
Meanwhile, Karnataka State Contractors’ Association President D Kempanna on Tuesday, speaking after a meeting with the deputy chief minister in Bengaluru, said that there is corruption in the current government as well. Earlier, Kempanna had denied any commission allegations against the Congress government in the state.
“There was corruption in the previous BJP government. There is corruption in the current government as well. There is misconduct regarding payments of bills to contractors.”
“Today, we only talked about the outstanding bill of the BBMP. We have asked them to release 75% of the outstanding bills,” Kempanna said, adding that the deputy chief minister has responded positively to their demands.