The recent recovery of ₹50 crore of unidentified cash in IT raids has become the centre of a political row erupted between Congress and BJP in Karnataka.
Soon after IT raids recovery on Sunday, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateeel claimed links between ruling Congress and the recovered money. Soon after his allegations, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah denied the claims and called them baseless.
The matter didn't cool down here and the state BJP decided to stage protest and demonstrations in various district and Taluk headquarters. The BJP protesters demanded the resignation of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar.
The BJP leaders also warned the Congress government in Karnataka of holding massive demonstration in all the districts and Taluk headquarters on Monday and Tuesday.
BJP's Kateel also accused the Congress of running an ATM government in the state to fund the elections in five poll-bound states.
"Tomorrow and day after tomorrow, the BJP will stage a massive demonstration in all the district and Taluk headquarters," Kateel told reporters after a meeting with the district and Taluk unit office-bearers. He alleged there is a looting government in the state, which is collecting money.
"When we said that there is an ATM government in the state, the Congress demanded proof. Today Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar have given us evidence," the BJP state chief charged on Sunday.
Kateel also targeted the Congress of extorting money from contractors and builders to approve their work. The Dakshina Kannada constituency MP claimed that a few days ago ₹600 crore was released to the contractors. Later, over ₹45 crore was seized from a contractor's house.
Justifying his allegations, Kateel said, “It is very clear that this money is linked to the Congress. This is Congress' money only. I demand that the CM and the DCM resign owning moral responsibility."
Kateel also alleged the COngress government of using the extorted money to fund the elections compaign in five poll-bound states.
Joining the pollitical row, Union Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi alleged that the Congress has set a target of collecting ₹1,000 crore from Karnataka alone.
In his defence, Karnataka CM called the allegations as baseless and said that “contractors do not belong to any political party". He also said that neither the government ask them for money nor do they give them.
On Sunday, Income Tax sleuths conducted raid at more than 45 places in Karnataka. The raids began on Thursday and are still going on at few places. Most of the locations were from Bengaluru. By the end of the day, IT department had recovered over ₹50 crore of money from people including ₹42 crore from a contractor and his son.
(With inputs from agencies)