The sellers and the buyers
There seems to be a small relief to the mega saga of politics that was unfolding in the state in the last few days. The move of the governor who invited BJP to form the government has come under question. Instead of considering JD(S) and Cong coalition which has majority numbers of seats required to form the government, the governor had invited BJP which clearly lacks the numbers and had said the party will have 15 days’ time to show the numbers. Now the Supreme Court has ordered for a floor test to be held by Saturday evening 4 pm to show the strength of numbers, bringing a small relief to all those who believe in democracy. In the given situation, one can clearly say, this order was more than what we expected from the Supreme Court which has honored the governor’s words and has also reduced chances of horse trading by reducing time gap given for the show of strength by the BJP.
This has obviously been a discouragement to the office of Governor and to the BJP which tried to subvert the powers of this office. If the two weeks’ time as given by the governor was continued, the next two weeks in Karnataka would have been nothing short of hell. Hence, the ruling of the court has curtailed big chances of horse trading. If there is a majority in actual sense, it can be proved now. One need not seek two weeks’ time to shore up the numbers. A government, acting in haste, took some significant decisions to shift officers on transfer and acted on decisions of a few nominations too. This undue exigency in taking a few decisions is inexplicable and obviously these decisions have ulterior motives behind them. Hence the SC has insisted that the CM should not take any decisions on administration till majority vote is proved. The BJP leaders insist that they have the numbers and t’s just a matter of time to prove the majority.
Soon as he became the CM, Yeddyurappa withdrew the security cover around Eagleton Resort where the Cong and JD(S) MLAs were being hosted. This is a matter of concern since all elected representatives in one place demands high security cover, by the rule book. How would the lone-man cabinet explain should there be any attempt to harm the lives of elected representatives? All attempts have been made to subvert the democracy and buy out MLAs. If there are any supporters within that camp of JD(S) and Cong, who support BJP why would the party put pressure on them to come out and be on their side? Yeddyurappa has accused Congress of doing goondagiri on the MLAs. How does he know these details and how can be defend such statements? If any of the MLAs had complained against Cong for the same charges as the ones levelled by Yeddyurappa, the government should undertake serious probe into the matter. But then, what would one call the BJP leaders who are trying to hijack the MLAs from opposite camps?
JD(S) and Cong must remember one thing. It is obvious that BJP needs to buy the numbers. So long as they are bound to sit for a trading. But then, a transaction will be done only when there is a buyer and a seller. This ‘politics on sale’ is worse than sex trade. Prostitution has some amount of honesty in it. But politics has none of it. If this ‘sale’ continues, the dignity and prestige of Vidhana Soudha will be thrown into the drain, let’s have no doubt about it. It now depends on the keepers of the consciousness to ensure this does not happen.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
