BENGALURU: A fake letter sent to Raj Bhavan triggered a demand for Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy’s resignation. The Governor’s office forwarded the letter to the government, with a direction to take appropriate action.
In the letter, which the minister, officials and Congress leaders termed fake, agriculture department officials from Mandya have accused the minister of demanding Rs 6-8 lakh for postings. The letter demanded measures to put an end to corrupt practices.While the opposition BJP and AAP demanded the minister’s resignation, Congress legislators demanded action against those behind the fake letter.
“The only ‘TRANSPARENCY’ in Siddaramaiah’s government is ‘Bid’ for Transfers! Higher the Bid, Highest Post! It’s Just Cash and Carry! Corruption Levels in Transfers have Reached the Max Limits. 8 Assistant Directors for Agriculture have written to Governor against Minister Chaluvarayaswamy that they are being demanded Rs 6-8 Lakhs for Posting. They have also told them don’t have another way other than suicide,” former Union minister and BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal stated.
The AAP state unit demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sack the minister and appealed to the Lokayukta to register a suo motu case against him. The party even warned of an agitation if action was not taken.
Chaluvarayaswamy rubbished the allegations, saying he has not even met the assistant directors of the department. He said he was told a fake letter was being circulated to the media. “I have asked the department secretary to investigate. Let the report come out, then I will react. People are targeting me day and night, I am not concerned,” he said. Ashok VS, joint director of the agriculture department, Mandya, said there is no pressure on them to collect any money. “I believe it is a fake letter,” the officer said. He has written to SP, Mandya, seeking a probe into attempts to defame the department.
Meanwhile, Congress legislators have written to the SP, demanding action against those who wrote the letter. They termed it a conspiracy against the minister by those who are desperate, as the Congress government is implementing its guarantee schemes. “A criminal case should be registered against the person behind the letter,” they demanded.
Earlier, Congress MLA BR Patil had claimed that a fake letter using his letterhead was circulated to create a rift in the party. Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah said it has been revealed that the letter circulating online is a fake. The Joint Director of Mandya Agriculture Department clarified that there are no such officers in the district. However, we will review the matter and investigate, if necessary. Leaders of BJP are you the creator of such a fake letter spreading slander against the government? Or your “brother”?, he questioned.