Karnataka MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar lashed out at the Congress with regard to I-T sleuths finding more than Rs 2 crore cash from Narayana Gowda Patil, top official from the rural development department. He also questioned seven-time Congress MP KH Muniyappa for amassing 400 acres of benami land.
New Delhi: BJP leader and Karnataka Election Management Co-Convenor Rajeev Chandrasekhar challenged the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao and chief minister HD Kumaraswamy to come clean on the rampant corruption exposed in Bengaluru and in the entire state.
I-T officials raided Raj Mahal hotel in Bengaluru where executive engineer of rural development department, Narayana Gowda Patil was residing, and seized more than Rs 2 crore cash from their hotel rooms on Friday (March 15). I-T officials also raided Narayana Gowda’s residence in Haveri, Karnataka, and seized Rs 25 lakh cash.
“It is clear now as to why the Congress wanted to stay in power in Karnataka. The income tax raids and the seizure of Rs 2 crore cash from an executive engineer points to a confirmation that this coalition between the Congress and the JD(S) is not an alliance bound by common governance or economic agenda, rather it is about how to stay in power, collect money and exploit the state and its people leading up to the election," Chandrasekhar lashed out at a press conference held in New Delhi.
"I challenge the KPCC president and chief minister to come clean on the rampant corruption, and the money collection that is underway in Karnataka,” he warned.
“Media reports claim that documents seized during the raid, point to 10% to 20% commissions being taken by these officials. The 10% to 20% commissions are being taken from each contract that has been awarded by the government of Karnataka. This reaffirms what the Prime Minister during the Assembly elections had said when he had referred to the Congress government as 10% government,” he added.
Meanwhile, Congress MP K H Muniyappa, who is a seven-time MP from Kolar Lok Sabha constituency has allegedly amassed over 400 acres of land in a benami transaction.
“Congress MP KH Muniyappa has not declared his and his family's property details to the election commission and it is in violation of his code of conduct. Today, when there is an environment of zero tolerance for corruption in the country, this is indeed a legitimate issue to be debated and we deserve an answer from Rahul Gandhi,” MP Chandrasekhar said.
“This coalition in Karnataka is an example of clear and fitting representation of what a mahagatbandhan government would be, if at all it is formed. It is simply about corruption and looting without any common agenda for development or for the people of Karnataka or India,” he said.
On approaching the Election Commission, Chandrasekhar said, “Of course, the party will approach the EC in these two cases. We will definitely point out that the contracts being issued should come under EC’s scrutiny.”
"I accept that Prime Minister Modi was wrong during the election when he said that Karnataka government is 10% commission government. It is actually a 20% commission government," he said.
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