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K’taka: Cong puts up ‘PayCM’ posters, police probe on
After the posters surfaced across Bengaluru, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai ordered a police probe in the matter.
Karnataka Congress on Wednesday put up ‘PayCM’ posters across several areas of Bengaluru, with a QR code and a photo of chief minister Basavaraj Bommai with the message “40 per cent accepted here”, a reference to allegations that contractors have to pay 40 per cent commission to get public work contracts.After the posters surfaced across Bengaluru, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai ordered a police probe in the matter.
The posters are believed to be part of the Opposition’s campaign against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government over allegations of corruption in the state. They were later taken down by the local authorities.
The QR code, when scanned, would redirect the user to a website (http://40percentsarkara.com), which featured a contact number to report any demands of bribes by the government or its officials.
“Enter complaints among themselves about irregularities, scams, bribery of #40PercentSarkara. #PayCM Summon and register your complaint,” the Karnataka Congress said in its official Twitter handle.
“40% commission seems to have infected the minority department after all the departments. Even though the school building is ready, why are the authorities showing interest in another new building without preparing to move the students? Want a commission? #PayCM He himself, does not notice all these disturbances? #40PercentSarkara”
Reacting to the campaign, Bommai termed it a conspiracy to tarnish his and Karnataka’s reputation. He also ordered the police to register a case and investigate the matter.
“It is a systematic conspiracy to spoil my name and also Karnataka. I have directed the officials concerned to book a case. We will get it investigated to find out the people behind it,” Bommai told reporters here.
“This is a baseless campaign in social media. Everyone knows how to do such things. Also, people know who is running the campaign. These are pseudo campaigns, which have intensified only recently. This has no value,” he added.
The chief minister further said he is hurt because more than him, Karnataka is getting a bad name due to such a campaign. “So, we have decided to put a brake on such activities,” Bommai said.
The ruling BJP also attacked the Congress for the poster campaign. “Already, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai has ordered an investigation and booked cases against those involved in this mischief,” BJP state media cell in-charge Karunakara Khasle told PTI.
He added that the BJP state unit has also appealed to the chief minister to expose those who were behind this act.
The development comes Congress party’s campaign to corner the BJP government on the issue of growing corruption in the run up to the assembly elections next year.
A contractors’ body had recently levelled bribery charges that contractors had to pay 40 per cent commission to get public work contracts, an allegation strongly denied by the government.
Earlier this month, the Congress, the principal opposition in the state, had listed a series of corruption cases in which several members of the government were involved.
The Congress listed graft charges against KS Eshwarappa, demands made to religious entities, police sub-inspector (PSI) scam, Bitcoin scandal, BY Vijayendra (BJP state vice president and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s son) allegedly caught on camera demanding ₹666 crore from a contractor, ‘looting’ ₹21,473 crore from farmers, former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi owned Soubhagyalaxmi Sugars’ ₹600 crore loan and ₹400 crore worth land grabbed by BJP minister Byrathi Basavaraj, HT reported.
