Kumaraswamy on an Accusation Spree

Bengaluru: In a scathing revelation on Saturday, H D Kumaraswamy, former Chief Minister and leader of the Janata Dal (Secular) party, levelled serious corruption allegations against the incumbent Congress-led government in Karnataka. Accusing the government of rampant corruption, Kumaraswamy asserted that an astonishing amount had been involved in the transfer of officials within the state.

During a media interaction, Kumaraswamy claimed, "Sums of more than Rs. 1,000 crore has been amassed through the transfer process. For a single post, 3 to 4 individuals have been issued transfer letters."

The former CM did not stop there and further disclosed a heated altercation between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister Dr. G Parameshwara over the transfer of police officers.

Kumaraswamy questioned, "What was the conversation that transpired at the police canteen near Garuda Mall? Who attended that meeting? And why did the confrontation occur between the CM and Parameshwara? I urge authorities to scrutinize CCTV footage, if necessary, to uncover the truth."

Just days before, 211 police inspectors were abruptly transferred, only to have the transfer orders subsequently withheld without any explanation. Kumaraswamy had raised this topic earlier, following which, Parameshwara claimed that the transfer process would be done by Monday.

Furthermore, Kumaraswamy said there’s deep-rooted corruption in the state's contracting processes. He alleged that contractors were coerced into paying substantial bribes ranging from 10 to 15 percent just to clear pending bills.

"Contractors confided in me that ministers and officers demanded a hefty share, inflating the percentage from 5 to 15. Such a system is tarnishing Bengaluru's reputation. Where is Kempanna, the contractors' association president, amidst these revelations?" questioned Kumaraswamy.

He also vowed to expose fraud related to the NICE road project soon, promising to release relevant documents to substantiate his claims. This expose however, is certain to be unveiled by Kumaraswamy when the time comes.