Siddaramaiah, former Chief Minister, has condemned the reported demand for commission for release of funds to mutts.
“I condemn it. That is why I say this Government is a corrupt one. If they demand commission of 30% for release of funds from the swamijis, there is nothing more shameless than this,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said when his attention was drawn to the reported statement by Dingaleshwara Swami about the demand of commission for release of funds from the mutts.
Speaking to reporters in Mandya, where he participated in a demonstration against the rising prices and demand for action against BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa for his alleged role in the suicide of contractor Santosh Patil, Mr. Siddaramaiah said his party is holding a campaign against the Government for demanding 40% commission by the Government for release of funds to contractors taking up Government work.
Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Mr. Siddaramaiah sought to know from the BJP the reason for the delay in raising corruption charges against his erstwhile Government.
When a reporter drew his attention to CM Bommai’s reported statement about corruption during his regime as CM, Mr. Siddaramaiah asked what had prevented them from coming out with the details when they were in the Opposition for five years or even during the last three years when they were in power.
He countered the BJP leaders by claiming that they had failed to discharge their duties as an Opposition party if they had failed to raise the issue when they were in the Opposition. Similarly, if they had not raised it when they have been in power for the last three years despite possessing evidence as they claim to, it amounts of “suppression of evidence”, which is also an offence under the Indian Penal Code, he said.
With regard to the scam in the recruitment of Sub Inspectors, he said he had asked the concerned authorities to conduct an investigation when the complaint came to him earlier. The investigation is under way and the culprits should be punished, he said.
