BENGALURU: The Congress party has committed scams at every step and it has no moral right to talk about corruption, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday.
Talking to reporters at the conclusion of a 10-day joint session of the legislature here on Friday, he said, “The BJP had released a book on the corruption of the Congress party. Being corrupt themselves, they are doing an abhiyan on corruption.” Bommai said that the truth will always triumph and the attitude of talking without any evidence will not last long.
A detailed reply has been given on the corruption charges levelled by the Contractors’ Association. The Congress thinks that by saying something repeatedly, it will become truth. But that time has gone. People know what’s true. The association wrote a letter one year ago. A piece of evidence must be given along with a small complaint,” Bommai said.
The CM said former Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar and others have said that there were many scams and those leaders themselves have spoken about it.
“Two office-bearers had spoken about corruption in the party office and the same had been shown on news channels. But the Congress leaders haven’t replied. Ramesh Kumar had openly said they were at the mercy of the party through which they have made assets which were sufficient for the next three generations. The Congress leaders are talking about it and this has been discussed within their party. But they say BJP is not ready for a debate. We are ready for a debate,” he said.
The CM said they must bring out whatever information and evidence that they have during the debate and not indulge in hit-and-run politics.
“Opposition leader Siddaramaiah must reveal who had given 40 per cent commission. We were ready to listen and for this reason, we sat in the House for the whole day. Looking at their behaviour today, it gave a feeling that the Opposition parties should have taken up this subject much earlier, but they took it in the end. It could have been taken up last week itself. The Opposition leader has the power to raise any topic any day, but there is no unanimity among them. They knew well that there was no stuff in it and no definite allegations,” the CM said.
He said the Contractors’ Association was a Congress-sponsored entity and hence, they knew well that there was no stuff in it. The government is open and ready to hold an inquiry if the complaint is filed. Kempanna has been president of the Contractors’ Association, but there are doubts about this association. “On the one hand, we have Contractors’ Association president Kempanna, who listens to his political bosses and has not given any evidence. On the other hand, they have Justice Kempanna, who headed a judicial commission when the Congress was in power,” he said.
“Justice Kempanna has already given the report which needs to be discussed. We have great respect for him. But Contractors’ Association president Kempanna had failed to give any evidence. The people will understand the difference between the two in the coming days. Minister N Muniratna has already filed a case and has asked him to provide documents within 10 days. Despite notice served, no evidence has been given to support the allegations. A defamation suit has been filed. Let Kempanna hand over all documents to the court and then the government will decide the next course of action,” Bommai added.
The CM said contractor Kempanna had given a letter suggesting several reforms and order has been issued in this regard. “The government will order a probe if they give documents pertaining to a particular case. Since the head of the Lokayukta belongs to the judiciary, all relevant documents may be submitted there so, that an inquiry will commence from Saturday itself,” said Bommai.
He said several issues were discussed during the two-weeks legislature session, and hundreds of replies had been given. All lawmakers were explained about the flood situation during four days of discussion on this subject.
“Revenue Minister R Ashoka has given a reply on this subject. I have replied to questions pertaining to the Bengaluru floods. To implement whatever discussed and replied in the House, meetings with the officials have been held to take necessary steps in this regard,” he said.
“Several issues were raised just for politics. Issues such as the PSI recruitment scam raised by opposition parties have boomeranged on them. They have discussed what all the steps taken by the government on these issues, apart from this they haven’t done anything. The things that were not done by the previous government had been done by the incumbent government. When CID filed an FIR against DIG Sridharan in connection with the alleged police constables recruitment scandal and sought permission to probe, the then government did not give permission. If the guilty persons were punished, then even these people would have been punished but it was not done. Now that cop has retired but has taken bail and filed a case in court. Now I have given permission to take legal action. This was their style of functioning. Several persons have been arrested in connection with teachers’ recruitment scandal”.
Asked about Siddaramaiah’s demand for a probe into all scams starting from 2006 till date, Bommai said these were the superficial talks of Congress leader who failed to take action on orders of the commission.
On the Cabinet expansion, he said this has been brought to the notice of high command and they have promised to do it at the earliest. “We were waiting for the session to end. If I am called to Delhi for discussion, the process will start soon. The cabinet expansion will be done in the next few days after getting the nod from the high command,” he added. (ANI)