BENGALURU: The Karnataka BJP will stage a protest across the state for two days from Monday demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, accusing them of rampant corruption. BJP leaders alleged that the Congress is collecting money to fund the assembly polls in five states that will be held in the next few weeks.
BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel on Sunday said it is a shame that officials are demanding money from noted artists. In IT raids, crores of money were found. “The CM and Dy CM should resign on moral grounds,” he said. Kateel on Sunday alleged that the state government has given targets to officials. They have not spared even artistes, he added.
BJP leader CT Ravi, who spoke to reporters on Sunday, said the Siddaramiah government has turned into a 60% government. “For an event of senior artist Pandit Rajeev Taranath, where remuneration was Rs 5 lakh and officials are demanding Rs 3 lakh, which shows the government is a 60% commission government. This happened in Siddaramaiah's watch, which claims that his government is corruption-free.
Cong amassing money for assembly polls: Joshi
Hubballi: With BJP leaders sharpening attacks on the Congress government in the state over the corruption issue after IT sleuths seized crores of cash during the raid, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi accused the Siddarmaiah government of collecting Rs 1,000 crore for the upcoming assembly election in five states. Joshi told reporters here on Sunday,
“Information has come to my notice that the Congress government in the state plans to amass Rs 1,000 crore illegally. Cash-filled cardboard boxes found during the IT raid itself showed the intent of the government and it has also been revealed the seized money belonged to the Congress.” He said as the IT raid was conducted on a large scale in the State Rs 42 crore was found in one’s house and another Rs 45 crore in another’s house. One Santosh has admitted that cash belonged to the Congress leaders. It is also learnt that the cash found was collected through commission, he said and added, “The Congress is synonymous with corruption.”