Congress versus Congress in Karnataka

SRINIVAS REDDY I hyderabad

A housing scam has erupted within the Karnataka Congress, leading to a factional war and the scandal has intensified the rivalry between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and DK Shiva Kumar factions. Recently Aland Congress MLA B R Patil alleged that bribes were taken in the distribution of 950 houses in his Aland constituency, including 200 houses in Munnalli, 100 in Hittala Shirur, 200 in Dangapur, 200 each in Kavalaga and Madiyal. An audio clip has surfaced, purportedly featuring Karnataka Congress MLA B R Patil, accusing officials linked to the state’s Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation of large-scale corruption.

In the audio clip, MLA Patil, who is also the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, claims that houses under the scheme were allotted only to those who paid bribes, while recommendation letters from elected representatives like himself were completely ignored. The audio clip, reportedly between B R Patil and Sarfaraz Khan, the personal assistant to Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, has sparked controversy now.

Patil can be heard expressing anger that his recommendations for house allotments were set aside in favour of those made by Gram Panchayat Presidents who allegedly paid bribes. ‘Whoever has paid money, got houses, is this business?’ says Patil. He is heard questioning why the Housing Corporation gave preference to recommendations from those who ‘paid money’ over those made by him.

‘What respect will I have if this happens?’ Patil asks in the audio clip. Khan is heard denying these charges, saying the persons who have received the bribe will be sent to jail if the details are provided to him. Patil then warned that if the list of beneficiaries is made public, the government would be ‘shaken.’

On Tuesday Karnataka Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan dismissed all allegations of corruption in the allotment of houses under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) scheme and called for a thorough probe into the matter.

‘Is there any instance where money is being taken to allot houses? Let B R Patil tell me who demanded money. We will take action against those who accepted bribes; they won’t be spared,’ Khan told reporters. He urged Patil to write to CM Siddaramaiah and formally seek an inquiry into the alleged irregularities. 

Clarifying his stance, Khan said he had already ordered a departmental probe. ‘If Panchayat members have taken money, let them be exposed. I haven't come across any complaint of Panchayat officials collecting money from beneficiaries,’ Khan said.

According to Khan, all MLAs cutting across party lines had submitted recommendations for house allotments, but the state lacked enough stock to meet every request. ‘We are allotting houses in phases. Patil had asked for around 2,000 houses, but we also have to reallocate homes that were cancelled earlier. We have given 950 houses to separate Panchayats,’ Khan said.

Addressing Patil's complaint that none of the people he recommended were allotted houses while the Aland Panchayat president allegedly secured 950 homes for his people, Khan reiterated that he had no role in the selection. And also Bharamgouda Alagouda Kage, the ruling Congress MLA from Kagwad, threatened to resign from the Karnataka Assembly, alleging an administrative collapse in the state. Speaking to reporters in Belagavi, Kage expressed frustration over delays in development work in his constituency.

Addressing the media in Raichur, Siddaramaiah said he would speak to Kage. He, however, clarified that there are no special grants or Chief Minister's grants. ‘People refer to all the grants we give as 'special grants.' But that’s not the case. We provide special grants only where they are required,’ Siddaramaiah said. Regarding B R Patil, the CM said he has asked him to meet on June 25.