BENGALURU: The Opposition BJP on Tuesday said that corruption is rampant in all the departments in the state and demanded Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s resignation. Leader of Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanswamy told the media that the liquor merchants association has accused the Excise Department officials of collecting Rs 500 crore. He added that over Rs 700 crore was collected ahead of the elections.
The money collected from the liquor merchants in Karnataka was used during the bypolls in three Assembly segments in the state as well as polls in Maharashtra, he alleged. In the Excise Department, to get a new license one has to pay Rs 4.5 lakh fee to the government, but they have to spend around 80 lakh, where is that money going? he asked.
He said the Congress leaders, who are now demanding proof of the corruption in the Excise Department, had not provided any proof for the 40 % corruption allegation, which they made a big election issue ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.
“Why Siddaramaiah, who had endorsed the allegations made by the Contractors Association, is ignoring the allegations made by liquor merchants,” the BJP leader asked. The CM’s family returned 14 sites allotted to them by the MUDA and Minister Priyank Kharge’s family returned a 5-acre land allotted to a trust. That proves the charges against the government, he said.