Vijayendra tried to bribe Minority Commission head with Rs 150 crore on Waqf issue: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Dec 14: The Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday alleged that the BJP state president B Y Vijayendra "tried to bribe" the former Minority Commission Chairperson during the previous BJP government, Anwar Manippady with Rs 150 crore to suppress investigations into the Waqf property encroachment.
He even claimed that Manippady had written to the Prime Minister about this corruption.
“Anwar Manippady had publicly stated that Vijayendra visited his house during B S Yediyurappa’s tenure as CM and offered ₹150 crore to keep silent about the Waqf property encroachment report. He has further stated that Anwar sent Vijayendra out of his house and reported this incident to PM Modi and the BJP President,” Siddaramaiah said in a statement issued to media.
There is no immediate reaction either from Manippady or Vijayendra.
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“What happened to Modi’s grand ‘Na khaunga, na khane doonga’ promise? His silence on this explosive allegation raises suspicions and several questions. Why is the BJP leadership shielding Vijayendra and others involved in the Waqf property loot?” the Chief Minister asked.
He alleged that the BJP, under former Chief Ministers B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, was already notorious for issuing record notices related to Waqf properties.
“Now, with these bribery allegations and Vijayendra’s rising role in BJP despite serious charges, it’s evident that Karnataka has become the BJP’s ATM,” he charged.
The Chief Minister also alleged that the Vijayapura BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal had accused Vijayendra of paying Rs 2,000 crore to secure his father Yediyurappa’s Chief Ministership.
“From COVID procurement scam to Waqf property looting, skeletons are tumbling out of the BJP’s closet in Karnataka. Instead of answering these allegations, BJP is resorting to baseless accusations against our leaders to divert attention,” Siddaramaiah said.
He said Modi should break his silence and order a CBI inquiry into these allegations immediately as “the people of Karnataka deserve answers, not cover-ups”.
This statement comes against the backdrop of BJP MLAs staging a walkout from the Assembly on Friday as ruling Congress members allegedly tried to obstruct Leader of Opposition R Ashoka from raising the Waqf issue.
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Road crash in UP leaves 10 dead
Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) (PTI): Ten people were killed when a van collided head-on with a truck on the Sisaiya-Lakhimpur national highway on Monday, police said.
The van was going to Sisaiya from Lakhimpur when the accident took place between Unchgaon and Bharehta villages.
Circle Officer of Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, said all nine passengers travelling in the van and the driver were killed.
District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri Anjani Kumar Singh told reporters that the van collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction, leading to nine casualties on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries at the district hospital.
Circle Officer, Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh told PTI, "Efforts are on to establish the identity of other deceased persons."
The seven of the deceased have been identified as Jaideep Singh (25), Pawan (23), Sohan (21), Ram Goyal (42), Sahajram (35), Pappu (18), all residents of Bahraich district and Adnan Khan (15), a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri district, police said.
Condoling the loss of lives in the accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a post on X, said, "The loss of life in the unfortunate road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply distressing and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families."
"I have directed the local administration to provide prompt and adequate assistance to the injured and the victims. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls a place at His divine feet and to bestow a speedy recovery upon the injured," Adityanath said on X.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak too condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
"The loss of lives resulting from the road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply tragic and heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families," Maurya said.
