BENGALURU: JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday made a serious allegation that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led government is collecting a bribe of `200 crore a month through the Transport Department’s check posts using rowdies across state for mobilising funds for the ensuing assembly elections. Speaking at the party’s office here, the former chief minister alleged that the check posts are closed in all other states after GST was introduced whereas they are kept operational in Karnataka only to collect money.
Accusing Siddaramaiah of using these check posts for money, Kumaraswamy alleged that the government is looking to collect `1,000 crore from owners of inter-state vehicles. “JD(S) workers will lay seige to those check posts if they are not closed within 15 days,” he warned.
“Siddaramaiah is posing like a honest person but he turned a blind eye on the gratification being collected in the check posts. Even the home minister and the transport minister have become mute spectators. The law enforcing agencies are also no different. It seems that Siddaramaiah has decided to run the government through rowdies. They might have become silent on the issue but we can’t,” he said.
Kumaraswamy also alleged that the transport minister has stated that some of the check posts were closed but it is common to see goons collecting money from inter-state vehicles at check posts.
He chided Siddaramaiah for criticising opposition parties. The CM wears shoes worth `50,000-`60,000 while claiming himself to be a socialist leader, he said. Replying to a question, he said, “I only heard through media that BJP leader Anand Asnotikar will join JD(S).”