Kumaraswamy alleges rampant corruption in CMO

Bengaluru:The Former Karnataka Chief Minister, H D Kumaraswamy on Monday made grave allegations of corruption within Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office, fuelling concerns about unethical practices in the state’s administration.The Former Karnataka Chief Minister, H D Kumaraswamy on Monday made grave allegations of corruption within Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office, fuelling concerns about unethical practices in the state’s administration. Kumaraswamy’s claims suggest that officials in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) are demanding financial gratification in exchange for transfers, exposing a potential nexus between power and monetary gain.

Expressing his deep dismay, Kumaraswamy emphasised that the Congress party, to which Siddaramaiah belongs, has lost any moral authority to address corruption-related issues. He pointed out that these alleged corrupt practices in the CMO have become a topic of discussion among people on the streets.

Kumaraswamy conducted a media interaction in his Vidhana Soudha office and cited an incident where an MLA’s recommendation for transfer was met with a demand for a bribe of Rs. 30 lakh. Such incidents, according to Kumaraswamy, reflect a clandestine network operating within the highest echelons of power.

Furthermore, Kumaraswamy shed light on another instance of corruption involving Tahsildar Ajit Rai, who was suspended following a raid by the Lokayukta. Rai purportedly paid a staggering sum of Rs. 3 crore to secure a posting during the previous government.

Taking a critical stance, Kumaraswamy likened the actions of the two major national parties to the East India Company, accusing them of plundering the state’s resources. He highlighted the need for the government to address pressing issues such as the persistent Bengaluru traffic problem and the deteriorating condition of the city’s lakes. Kumaraswamy lamented the lack of implementation of the master plan announced in 2015, suggesting that these failures have contributed to the erosion of Bengaluru’s reputation.

In a scathing assessment of the current government’s ability to govern ethically, Kumaraswamy foresees a bleak future. He questioned the administration’s commitment to combating corruption, challenging them to provide evidence of concrete actions taken in the past month to curb corruption. Drawing a somber analogy, he likened the government’s survival to that of a patient relying on ventilators in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), hinting at its perceived vulnerability and dependence on life support. In light of recent political developments in Maharashtra, Kumaraswamy pondered the possibility of a similar scenario unfolding in Karnataka and wondered who would play the role of Ajit Pawar in the state’s political landscape.

“Who is going to be the next Ajit Pawar emerging in Karnataka? For that actually, we are waiting,” Kumaraswamy said out of anticipation.