BJP seeks sacking of two Ministers over Congress MLA’s allegation

A recent letter to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar by Congress MLA Ashok Kumar Rai, accusing two engineers of Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited of collecting extra charges from contractors stating that it has to be given to the Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister and the department Minister, has now taken a serious turn with the BJP urging the Chief Minister to sack these two Ministers.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok urged the government to immediately dismiss the two Ministers who are allegedly taking bribes and also hand over the investigation to CBI.

In the letter, Mr. Rai has stated that an extra 7% of money is being collected from contractors in KRIDL, allegedly to be given to these Ministers and that contractors who questioned it are being threatened. Mr. Ashok alleged that after the Congress came to power, officials were acting in an unruly manner and the government was running a “commission raj.” “If ₹100 is released, only ₹30 worth of work is done.

The remaining 70% goes as commission. When we made the allegation, they asked for documents. Now a Congress MLA himself has spoken about the commission,” he said. It is estimated that around ₹800 crore may have been collected in the form of commission so far, he alleged.

Launching an attack at the Chief Minister for criticising the BJP’s padayatra, Mr. Ashok said it was “not political” and being taken out to create public awareness on issues such as drought relief.