Eshwarappa accused of seeking commission

Patil added that he has borrowed money on interest and faces pressure to repay the said amount, which has been used to complete the works.

A senior office-bearer of a right-wing group in Karnataka has threatened suicide, citing his inability to pay a “commission” demanded by the associates of a senior cabinet minister, KS Eshwarappa.

A senior office-bearer of a right-wing group in Karnataka has threatened suicide, citing his inability to pay a “commission” demanded by the associates of a senior cabinet minister, KS Eshwarappa. (HT)

Santosh K Patil, who identifies himself as the national secretary of the Hindu Vahini, in a letter to Union rural development and panchayat raj (RDPR) minister Giriraj Singh on March 11, stated that he is yet to be paid for undertaking public work in Hidalgo village of Belagavi district.

“Minister associates also annoying me to provide them with a commission for the completed work. Hon’ble Sir, I am in great tension and have huge pressure from the creditors who have given me the finance on interest. If the payment and work orders are not given to me on an immediate basis then unwillingly, I do not have an option for myself except suicide,” Patil said in his letter.

Patil said that he completed public works to the tune of ₹4 crores.

“Sir, our state Minister RDPR Department MR KS Ishwarappa (Eshwrappa) told me to complete road work on 12-2-2021 we believe(d) his thought, and we completed more than 108 work cost of estimate 4 crores. More than one year has been passed. But till today, we have not received any work order nor single rupees from him or the concern (ed) authorities,” he added.

Patil added that he has borrowed money on interest and faces pressure to repay the said amount, which has been used to complete the works.

Eshwarappa could not be reached for comment.

“We have not issued any sanction order for these works. He seems to have done them on his own accord and the question of we paying him any money simply does not arise,” a senior official from the RDPR department told HT on Monday.

The letter comes when the Basavaraj Bommai-led administration has faced several charges of corruption, including laundering using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, charging as much as 40% commission for granting of public work orders and other allegations.

Eshwarappa has raked up several controversies in the past, including in one which he said that the saffron flag (Bhagwa) may replace the Indian flag in the future. The minister, who nursed ambitions to become the chief minister of Karnataka, was also accused as the main instigator of the communal riots in Shivamogga district when he violated curfew orders on February 21 and led the funeral procession of Harsha Jingade, better known as Harsha Hindu.

Eshwarappa has also been very vocal against Muslims, trying to position himself as a hardcore right-wing leader on issues like the Hijab and the ban on shops around temples by the minority communities.

“Full, Free & Fearless Corruption allegations galore against Bommai Govt & its Ministers, yet PM-CM-ED-CBI-ACB remain on “mute mode”. Complainant is a BJP leader. Does the BJP in Karnataka now symbolizes - “खाओ और खिलाओ”, the actual replacement for - “ना खाऊँगा, न खाने दूँगा”।” Randeep Singh Surjewala, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of Karnataka on Monday said in a post on Twitter.

Priyank Kharge, former minister and Congress legislator on Monday said that Eshwarappa himself had written a letter last year that the chief minister (BS Yediyurappa) and his family were interfering in his department and allocating works and funds at their discretion. He added that now there has been an allegation against him itself.

“Contractors have now written against him for charging 40%. Other contractors had written to Prime Minsiter that this government is charging 40%. The government which used to say “na khaoonga na khane doonga” has been transformed to “Main khaoonga, thumko bhi kilaoonga”. There should be an investigation on this and nothing has happened so far on this. Our adjournment motion to discuss these allegations was rejected by the speaker stating that it was not of public importance and now there have been allegations made by their own people,” he said.