Cong seeks dismissal of BJP govt in K’taka over corruption charges

PTI, Mar 29, 2022, 8:04 AM IST

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday demanded immediate sacking of the BJP government in Karnataka over charges of corruption and said an independent probe by the high court should be ordered into the allegations.

The party also sought answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai on the issue, and questioned their silence on the corruption charges levelled against BJP leaders in the state. “The stench of corruption has reached its zenith. The illegitimate BJP government plunders, loots and robs the state as the poor suffer in misery. People will purge the corrupt government,” Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter.

Dubbing the BJP government in the state as the “40 per cent commission Bommai government”, he said, “The saga of ‘BJP Corruption Files’ is ministers/MLAs demanding 40 per cent bribes.” Surjewala claimed that “50,000 contractors are protesting” but there has been zero response to a July 6 letter to the prime minister. “Brazen loot of public money,” he said.

“Will the prime minister answer – why no action on 6th July, 2021, letter qua taking of ’40 per cent commission’ by BJP ministers/MLAs? Why no response to Hindu Vahini leader’s letter on bribes and 40 per cent commission? Why is CM Bommai ‘mum’? All partners in the loot,” Surjewal said in another tweet.

Congress member in Rajya Sabha Syed Nasir Hussain said the prime minister talks big on eradicating corruption and demands answers from the opposition in Parliament, but is silent on corruption charges levelled against his party’s government in Karnataka.

“We demand that the BJP government in Karnataka be immediately sacked and an independent probe ordered by the Karnataka High Court,” he told reporters outside Parliament.

“Our demand is that the prime minister should immediately intervene and set up an independent investigation after dismissing the Karnataka government,” Hussain said.

“The Congress demands that the prime minister should open his mouth and tell the country, whether Karnataka’s corrupt government is going to be punished or not? We also demand the sacking of the BJP government and also demand that people, who are involved in the corruption, action should be taken against them, otherwise, the whole country will look at it,” Rajya Sabha MP L Hanumanthaiah told reporters.

The Karnataka Congress leaders also claimed that some BJP leaders have also been alleging that there is corruption in award of contracts.

The contractors association in Karnataka has also alleged that funds allocated for development works were taken away by ministers and MLAs as bribes.

Contractors in Karnataka have also announced that they will stage a massive protest in April last week against this malpractice.