Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi have been summoned by a court over the party’s accusations of a “40 per cent commission” during the previous BJP government’s tenure in the state.
The summons are related to a case involving “Corruption Rate Card” advertisement issued by the Congress against the BJP during the last year’s state assembly poll campaign. The three Congress leaders have been asked to appear before the court on March 28.
The Congress ran a successful campaign to win the state assembly election last year. As part of its campaign, the party circulated a “Corruption Rate Card” advertisement targetting the then BJP-led Karnataka government in local and national newspapers.
The one-page ad, titled “Corruption Rate Card 2019-2023,” was published in The Times of India, The Hindu, the Indian Express, and Samyukta Karnataka. It detailed the amounts allegedly charged as bribes for appointments, transfers, and government deals in the state.
Targetting the BJP, the Congress advertisement further alleged that the “40 per cent Sarkara has looted over Rs 1,50,000 crore from the people of Karnataka in the last four years. At this rate, there will be no state left.”
The advertisement, however, did not mention the BJP or the then Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai.
The Election Commission (EC) had issued a notice to the party, asking for evidence to support the claims made in the advertisement at that time.
Earlier this month, Karnataka State Contractors’ Association President D. Kempanna alleged that the practice of a “40 percent commission” continues even under the Congress regime, noting that it involves a different set of individuals seeking these commissions.
“No MP, MLA or minister is asking us to pay (commission) but the officials are demanding a cut. Earlier, MLAs used to insist that works would be granted only if we pay them an amount,” Kempanna stated.
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