Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 24 : Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, has strongly criticised the Congress-led state government, alleging widespread public dissatisfaction and corruption at the highest levels.
Speaking to ANI, Narayanaswamy said, "People are talking against this government and also levelling corruption charges against the state government. The ruling MLAs are saying all this."
Citing remarks made by ruling party MLAs themselves, he criticised the administration for branding criticism as "hate speech."
He said, "The ruling MLAs are saying all this. In Karnataka, many people are calling the CM and ministers corrupt and those who say it are being accused of making hate speech."
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party's Karnataka state president BY Vijayendra on Tuesday for "rampant corruption in every department" after multiple Congress MLAs alleged that government work is not being done without paying bribes to officials, as the state has been converted into an "ATM for Congress high command."
"Congress MLA BR Patil has alleged that there is rampant corruption in the Housing department. The allegation he has made is that without paying a bribe, the common man is not getting houses allotted in rural areas. One more Congress MLA, Raju Kage, has stated that he is frustrated. The grants meant for the development of his constituency have not been released because the commission has not been paid," Vijayendra told reporters here.
He further criticised the state's home minister, G Parameshwara, who purportedly claimed that the state lacked funds and alleged that the state had become an "ATM for the Congress high command."
This comes after Congress leader BR Patil raised allegations of irregularities in housing allotment after the state increased the minority housing quota to 15 pc, party leader Raju Kage also alleged that he is facing similar problems and alluded to possibly resigning within a few days due to the frustration.
BR Patil had earlier levelled serious allegations against the Housing Board, stating that houses under the Rajiv Gandhi housing scheme are allotted only when bribes are paid. According to Patil, he is supposed to meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tomorrow (June 25) after the latter invited him for a meeting, possibly to discuss the allegations raised.
Patil acknowledged that it was his voice in the audio clip that went viral on social media, where a phone conversation purportedly between Patil and Sarfaraz Khan, the personal assistant (PA) to Karnataka Housing and Minority Welfare Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, has brought the Congress government under fire due to allegations of irregularities in the housing allotment.