BENGALURU: Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Monday criticised the state government for not initiating action against officials of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department who allegedly deposited `550 crore government funds in banks for their personal gains.
Speaking to reporters here, Kumaraswamy came down heavily on the government over its failure to take steps to recover the funds and initiate criminal proceedings against the erring officials.
“When the government knows its money has been kept in bank accounts illegally, why has no action been taken to reclaim it? Also, why has no legal action been initiated against any of the officials involved in this?” Kumarswamy asked.
“The government has been thumping its chest, claiming that it had suspended an officer who has been allegedly involved in the scam. Is mere suspension enough? Why no criminal action was initiated against the official or an FIR filed?” Kumarswamy sought to know.
He said the Congress, which came to power assuring a clean and corruption-free government, has been protecting corrupt officials and added that the issue will be taken up in the upcoming legislature session.
Kumaraswamy said Siddaramaiah lacked the vision to develop Bengaluru and his weekly city rounds are nothing but a gimmick.
“He is doing the rounds of the city and making false promises, with an eye on the BBMP elections. Let him show one infrastructure project he has conceived and implemented in the city,” Kumaraswamy said.
On the CM’s promise to spend `2,500 crore on city infrastructure, Kumaraswamy said, “Let him first spend whatever funds he had announced for the city’s development in his last two budgets and then talk of giving fresh funds. How can he spend `2,500 crore when he had not made the provision for it either in the budget or in the supplementary budget?” he asked.
