Bengaluru, Feb 5 (LatestNewsX) Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka on Thursday said the BJP had succeeded in exposing the alleged corruption of the Congress-led government during the special session of the Legislature held between January 22 and February 4.
In a press statement, Ashoka said, “The fight regarding the alleged excise scam started in the session will not stop. Discussions have already been held for statewide protests on behalf of the party. Ultimately, the scam will be taken to the people’s court. Thoughts are also on conducting a legal battle.”
“There are indications of getting some more key evidence related to the scam. With those, the colours of this government will be exposed before the public,” he said.
“From the day it came to power, the government has been entangled in a web of scams. The corruption and looting worth more than Rs 6,000 crore in the Excise Department is a new addition to the list of scams,” Ashoka alleged.
He claimed that the Congress-led government has no development programmes to boast about and that the treasury is empty.
“They are not in a position to pay their 40 per cent share for development projects and schemes. So, like ‘a stone in curd for an unwilling husband’, they are raising objections against the ‘VB-GRAMG’ Act implemented by the Central government,” he said.
To hide this reality, he alleged, the government is making baseless allegations and scapegoating the Centre.
For this, crores of rupees have been spent from the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department to release advertisements in the media, he claimed.
Even though the government is facing a shortage of funds, people’s tax money is being wasted on such political gimmicks, he alleged.
Ashoka said the government had misused the MGNREGA scheme and looted crores of rupees, and that the new Act had put an end to such practices.
He claimed that a new strict law has been framed with a touch of modernity and that the scheme has been designed with the concepts of Gram Swaraj as per Mahatma Gandhi’s vision.
“But since their looting opportunities are lost and they have to pay a 40 per cent share, they are making baseless allegations in distress,” he alleged.
He said that in the last two-and-a-half years, scams were the only achievements of the government.
“That is why they are picking fights with the Governor and conspiring to mislead the people of the state under the pretext of presenting resolutions against the Centre,” he said.
However, he claimed that the BJP’s struggle inside the House had been successful in convincing the people of the real facts.
“The scam worth more than Rs 6,000 crore in the Excise Department has been exposed thread by thread in the session. We demanded the resignation of Minister R.B. Thimmapur and an inquiry by a sitting judge,” Ashoka said.
“But since everyone from the high command to the Chief Minister has joined in the looting, the entire Cabinet stood in support of the tainted minister. This has never happened before in the history of the state. It is clear that the looted money is being used for elections in neighbouring states,” he alleged.
Ashoka further said, “Minister Thimmapur had said he would resign if even one piece of evidence is provided for the allegation. Not one, not two, more than five pieces of evidence were given.”
“Serious evidence was provided, including three audio conversations involving senior officials in bribe acceptance, two Lokayukta complaints, one complaint to the Governor, and a voluntary statement by a person named Ningappa, who was caught by the Lokayukta in connection with the alleged excise scam,” he claimed.
“But this insensitive government did not budge,” he said.
Referring to alleged disrespectful remarks towards BJP MLAs in the House by Congress MLA Shivalinge Gowda, Ashoka said that the legislator behaved in an unparliamentary manner during protests.
He said the BJP condemned the conduct in the House itself and alleged that the Speaker acted in favour of the Congress.
“When Shivalinge Gowda was making personal allegations, he was smiling and sitting. This is not just a matter of great disappointment, but it has tarnished the dignity of the chair,” Ashoka said.
He added that resistance was expressed inside the House over the matter.
“Overall, in this session, people’s problems have been effectively conveyed to the government. We are also satisfied that the session highlighted the government’s scams, corruption and irregularities,” he said.
“We will not stop exposing the colours of this government in the upcoming Budget session either,” Ashoka added.
mka/pgh
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