BENGALURU: Going hammer and tongs at the Bommai government, KPCC president D K Shivakumar said that corruption is at a peak in Karnataka, and the “government is celebrating corruption Janotsava”.
Claiming that Contractors’ Association president Kempanna is not a “Congress agent”, as labelled by the BJP, and had not met him or opposition leader Siddaramaiah in the past year, he wanted to know why Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had met Kempanna.
Contractors are alleging that the government charges a 40 per cent commission to clear their bills, and have raised the issue of harassment by the government. As the opposition, it is the right of Congress to raise its voice too, he said.
“Kateel has insisted on evidence in the 40 per cent commission allegations. It has been one year since Kempanna wrote a letter to the Prime Minister. If you are honest, order a judicial inquiry,” he challenged the government. BJP leaders H Vishwanath and Basanagouda Yatnal have themselves spoken about irregularities in the government, he added.
“In Chamarajanagar district, the Raitha Sangha has written to Prime Minister Modi about the misdeeds of the Kolar district minister,” Shivakumar said. “After the police sub-inspector recruitment scam, there is now the KPTCL staff recruitment scandal. They have made scapegoats of officers and candidates, but are not going after the real kingpins.”
ON CBI NOTICE
Asked about the CBI notice to his close aide Vijay Mulgund, Shivkumar said, “Mulgund is a party secretary and close aide. I have remained silent as it should be dealt with as per law. I have filed a petition in the high court against these cases.” Mulgund was one of those who assisted Shivakumar in corralling Gujarat Congress MLAs in Eagleton Resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru, during the critical Rajya Sabha elections in 2017.