A diary allegedly containing the details of money sent to the Congress high command has become a weapon for the Opposition BJP in Karnataka. The party not only stalled the ongoing Budget Session on Friday but also demanded a high level probe into the allegations.
This is going to be one of the major issues for the saffron party ahead of 2018 Assembly polls to defeat the ruling Congress Government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is playing appeasement politics to the hilt.
As the day started, the BJP members trooped into the well of the House creating ruckus and demanded an enquiry into the alleged diary, which contained some details of party funds given to Congress high command which was supposed to have seized by Income-Tax officials during a raid on the house of K Govindaraju, a Congress MlC and close confidante of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah last year.
As the members continued their ‘dharna’ Speaker KB Koliwad adjourned the House for the day without taking up any transaction. The BJP members trooped into the well of the House soon after it assembled for taking up the day’s business and did not allow the Speaker to take up the Question hour scheduled.
They demanded that the Government should order a high level probe into the contents of the diary which created a major controversy with BJP alleging corruption in the government, received bribes and repatriated huge sums of money to Congress high command.
Speaker Koliwad, who had rejected the adjournment motion moved by the BJP on Thursday after Congress raised a point of order and refused to reverse his decision and allow discussion.
This enraged the Opposition leader Jagadish Shettar who said the Speaker was not allowing the Opposition to debate the important issue and his party was ready to expose the Government over the diary case. “You are scuttling the rights of the Opposition parties,” he said.
Shettar said, “Congress high command is supporting the money loot in the State. The CM received Rs 65 crore kickback in the shelved Steel Flyover. Congress High Command was given Rs 1000 crores to safeguard the seat of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Truth should be made known to public on these”.
But the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the BJP instead of discussing important drought issue has raised the ‘diary’ issue for political mileage. “People know how corrupt they (BJP) were when they were in power. Their Chief Minister also went to jail, they are spoiling the session, and people will teach them a lesson” he added.
BJP State president and lingayt strongman BS Yeddyurappa who raked the diary issue alleged that large amount of money has been sent to the Congress party high command by Siddaramaiah.
Yeddyurappa produced sheets of the alleged diary which was reportedly recovered from Govindaraj’s residence during an IT raid conducted in March 2016. It reportedly contained information about bribes given to Congress central leaders by State leaders to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore.
The BJP also alleged that Rs 65 crore kickback was received by Siddaramaiah in the shelved steel bridge project.