Siddaramaiah urges Governor to sack CM Yediyurappa
Qualifying the accusations made by Chief Minister KS Eshwarappa against Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa as “serious” and evidence of the collapse of the administration in the state, opposition leader Siddaramaiah on Thursday urged the governor to intervene and recommend the president’s government.
The congressional leader also demanded that the Chief Minister be fired.
Eshwarappa, who is the minister of Rural Development in Yediyurappa’s cabinet, had complained to the governor against the chief minister on Wednesday alleging direct interference in the affairs of his department.
He had met with Governor Vajubhai Vala and submitted a five-page letter on “serious lapses and the authoritarian way of running the administration” by the Chief Minister.
“Eshwarappa has provided evidence of the accusations of corruption, nepotism, and illegalities against the BJP that I have been making as leader of the opposition. He must not bow to any pressure and stick to his statement, “Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
Stating that Eshwarappa has done a good job for the first time in his political career, he said: “I congratulate him for considering that the interest of the state is more important than his personal interest.”
Corruption, nepotism, and illegalities were not limited only to the Department of Rural Development, he said, they were in all the departments of this government.
“The BJP leadership should not try to shut up Eshwarappa and provide the opportunity for other ministers to share their views freely.”
Eshwarappa, in his letter, has listed cases like the Chief Minister sanctioning huge funds at the request of the MLAs in the amount of Rs 774 crore under the RDPR Department ignoring it, works worth Rs 460 crore sanctioned by ignoring it.
He has also alleged that Rs 65 crore was directly sanctioned on the basis of a letter from Bengaluru Urban President Zilla panchayat, who he claims is a “close relative” of Yediyurappa’s family, while noting that the annual allowance for the Bengaluru Urban Zilla panchayat is only Rs 1.17 crore.
Noting that Ehwarappa has not only complained against the Chief Minister to the Governor, but also to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the National President of the BJP, Siddaramaiah demanded that they react to the accusations immediately and defend internal democracy.
“Eshwarappa through its investigation has made public that it is the corruption virus that has infected this government and not the coronavirus that is responsible for the state treasury being emptied,” he said.
Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2018 assembly election campaign had alleged his administration as “government of the 10 percent commission”, the former chief minister asked him to give a corruption rating to the state government after examine your “horoscope” posted to
him by his own party minister.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi, change your world-famous slogan ‘Na Khaunga, Na Khane Doonga’ (I will neither indulge in corruption nor allow anyone else to indulge in it), to ‘Main bhi Khaunga, Tum bhi Kaho’ ( they also indulge in corruption, you are also pleased) ”, he reprimanded.
Referring to the Karnataka High Court overturning the stay of the investigation against Yediyurappa and others for allegedly offering a bribe to JD (S) MLA Naganagouda Kandkur’s son, Sharanagouda, in 2019, Siddarmaiaah said: “This proves our accusation that the government of the BJP in the state is an illicit
child of an immoral act called “Operation Kamala”.
He demanded a detailed investigation into the million rupees that were allegedly used for ‘Operation Kamala’, which was the main reason for the existence of the BJP government.
She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.