CM Siddaramaiah asks PM to speak on alleged corruption in COVID-19 management during BJP rule
Mysuru (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on the alleged corruption in COVID-19 management when the BJP was in power in the state.
He charged the Prime Minister with lying when asked about his allegation that the Congress government in Karnataka had raised Rs 700 crore from liquor vendors to fund the Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Siddaramaiah sought to know what the Prime Minister had to say about the alleged irregularities in the COVID-19 management.
A Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kit that costs Rs 330 per piece was purchased for over Rs 2,100 per piece by the then BJP government in the State, the Chief Minister alleged.
"All the scams took place during the BJP government. Our government did not do any corruption and will not indulge in such acts. The Prime Minister is lying," Siddaramaiah said.
"Let him prove it (the allegation), I will retire from politics (if it's proven). Will he step down from the PM post if he fails to prove it? There should be some limit to lying," he said.
On the Enforcement Directorate's probe into the MUDA site allotment case in which he, his wife Parvathi B M and his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy are among the accused, Siddaramaiah said let the ED question whoever it wants to.
"I will not comment on the ED probe but all that I can say is it is investigating a false case," the Chief Minister said.
To a question on re-inducting Ballari Rural Congress MLA B Nagendra into the cabinet, Siddaramaiah said the legislator had spoken to him in this regard on Tuesday.
The Chief Minister said he had told Nagendra that he would consider it once the byelections to three Assembly segments in Karnataka are over.
Nagendra, who was the Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Youth Empowerment and Sports Minister, resigned from the Cabinet in June this year over the alleged scam in the state-run Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd.
The Chief Minister said there is no proposal before the government to lift the night ban on vehicular traffic in Bandipur tiger reserve in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Hope PM doesn't succumb to pressure, sends chadar to Ajmer dargah: Omar Abdullah
Srinagar, Jan 2: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed hope on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not succumb to pressure from any quarters and continue the yearly tradition of sending a "chadar" to the Ajmer dargah.
"You cannot separate religion from politics. We say that there should be a separation of the church from the State, but that does not happen. Votes are being sought in the name of religion, politics is done in the name of religion. This is a reality that we should accept. (However), I hope that the prime minister does not succumb to any pressure and sends a chadar to Ajmer," Abdullah told reporters here.
He added that the sentiments of the members of various communities are attached to the Ajmer dargah.
"It is not that just the people of a particular religion visit the Ajmer dargah. While Muslims go there, many non-Muslims also visit the dargah. The sentiments of many people are attached to it.
"Thankfully, the Supreme Court has put a stop to people trying to look for temples underneath mosques. When the court comes to an overall decision, that will be binding on everyone," he said.
Asked if the change in his dressing style over the last couple of years is to assert his Muslim identity, Abdullah said he does not wear clothes to send out wider messages.
"I do not open my cupboard in the morning thinking what will I wear that day or with an aim of sending out a message. I should think (what to wear) because sometimes I get into trouble. I wear a Sozni cap because it is part of my heritage. I wore a pagdi in Jammu because of my respect for all cultures. It does not weaken my faith.
"If there is a message going out, I am not doing it on purpose. I wear this cap because it suits me and keeps my head warm as my hairline is receding. I tried to put on a Karakul cap but that does not suit me," he added.
Responding to a question, the National Conference (NC) leader said the government does not need to do anything to project a secular image of Kashmir as the people of the valley are doing it on their own.
"During the recent snowfall, we saw it again. People opened their homes and mosques to accommodate tourists. Deputy commissioners or officials did not force them to do it. Whenever there is a need, people will do it," he added.
