BENGALURU: Karnataka's political landscape was jolted on Wednesday after Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa reportedly ranked the state as the fifth most corrupt in India, triggering an all-out opposition offensive and renewed calls for the Congress government to resign.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka described it a “certificate of corruption” issued by the judiciary itself. Addressing reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday, Ashoka lambasted the Congress administration, saying, “Corruption is overflowing in every department of your government. Karnataka has 63% corruption-this is the certificate given by none other than the Hon’ble Upalokayukta to your own government.
What do you have to say now? Will you take moral responsibility and resign, or will you continue this shameless conduct?” Ashoka’s remarks, delivered in response to Justice Veerappa’s comments at a book release event on Wednesday-where he contrasted Karnataka’s corruption rate with Kerala’s mere 10%-have amplified the opposition’s narrative.
LoP in Council Chalavadi T Narayanaswamy said that the Congress government had “lost all moral authority” to remain in office. The BJP leader said Justice Veerappa’s statement, made during a public address on Tuesday, carried the “credibility of judicial scrutiny” and could not be brushed aside as routine political sniping.
“When a serving Upa Lokayukta says Karnataka stands fifth in corruption, it is no longer a slogan - it is authenticated,” Narayanaswamy told reporters. “If the government accepts this, it is unfit to continue. If it denies it, it must explain why a sitting judge would make such a serious observation,” he added.
The BJP leader said the remark had “shattered” the Congress government’s defence against mounting allegations of graft. “This is not the opposition calling them corrupt. This is a sitting justice. The ministers and their leaders in government have to resign immediately,” he demanded.
Siddu hits back at Ashoka on ‘63% corruption’
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday countered the BJP’s attack over Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa’s statement of “63% corruption in Karnataka”, pointing out that the report Justice Veerappa referred to had been submitted in November 2019, when BJP leader BS Yediyurappa was CM. “Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa had stated in his November 2019 report that corruption stood at 63 per cent, and had merely reiterated the same report.
Then, the Yediyurappa government was in power. By misinterpreting Justice Veerappa’s words, R Ashoka has tried to pin the BJP’s own sins on our heads, and shot himself in the foot,” Siddaramaiah said. Listing the alleged scams during the BJP regime, he said, “Even when people were dying on the streets during Covid, there was shameless looting in the purchase of ventilators, masks, sanitiser and ICU equipment... A minimum of 40% commission was the norm.
Belagavi contractor Santosh Patil, unable to bear harassment by minister KS Eshwarappa, was driven to suicide. Massive irregularities took place in Bhadra Upper Bank and Cauvery Neeravari Nigam projects...” Turning to the national level, he said: “Today, under PM Modi who claims ‘Na khaunga, na khane doonga’, India is drowning in corruption. In the latest Corruption Perception Index released by Transparency International, India has slipped to 96th position.” He also dismissed Ashoka’s demand for the government’s resignation.
