During his two-day visit to Karnataka, Congress minister Rahul Gandhi gave the '40% commission minister' remark, saying that the Karnataka government is ‘the most corrupt’.
What is the ‘40% commission’ allegation?
The 40% commission remark was in reference to the allegations made by the Karnataka State Contractors Association that government officials, Karnataka BJP MLAs, and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa demand 40% commission or bribe from contractors for every project. The Association had even sent a letter to the Chief Minister, Prime Minister Modi and Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot. The letters have been unanswered but the BJP and the Minister have denied the allegations.
“After writing to the prime minister (on July 6, 2021), we had a lot of expectations. During the run up to (2018) elections, the prime minister termed the previous (Congress) regime as 10% government. we wrote to him stating that the bribery has increased to 40%." D Kempanna, Karnataka State Contractors’ Association President stated in a press conference March 27, as reported by Deccan Herald. 50,000 have now decided to go on a protest in April.
"10% of this bribe goes to the local MLA. Officials in the local bodies have to be given 5-7%. We have to pay another 5% to get our papers processed. The engineers overseeing the project have to be given 10%. Under this government, most times, the bribe becomes 45% of the project cost,” Kempanna is further quoted.
{{/usCountry}}"10% of this bribe goes to the local MLA. Officials in the local bodies have to be given 5-7%. We have to pay another 5% to get our papers processed. The engineers overseeing the project have to be given 10%. Under this government, most times, the bribe becomes 45% of the project cost,” Kempanna is further quoted.
{{/usCountry}}According to the latest allegations contractor and BJP member, Santhosh K Patil claims Eshwarappa charged him 40% commission for a work order. “I did not wait for a work order because Eshwarappa said he is the Minister and the final authority on this. So, I started the project. After that, the Model Code of Conduct came into effect because of by-elections in the district due to which, they said, they couldn’t give me the work order then. But Eshwarappa told me to not worry and continue with the work,” Patil told The News Minute.
However, the Minister in question clarified later that no work order has been issued as the work has not been sanctioned and the question of making payment for the alleged work doesn't arise. "I am appalled at the reaction of Congress MPs over a baseless allegation," he said and also informed that he has filed a defamation case against the contractor who made the said allegations.
Reports suggest that the Karnataka State Contractors Association, which has over 1 lakh members, has alleged that while government officials ask for hefty bribes, the state is yet to release dues worth Rs. 22,000 crore to them.
Ahead of the upcoming elections Congress is expected to use this controversy as fodder against the BJP government which is relying on the clean image of Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai. But considering Congress itself was tangled in the 'commission business' can it take the high moral ground on this?
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