The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Mallikarjun Kharge welcomes probe into corruption charges

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Wednesday, Jun 04, 2008
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Karnataka

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Mallikarjun Kharge welcomes probe into corruption charges

Special Correspondent

Asks if the inquiry will cover all allegations since 1952

BJP’s way of handling the shortage of seeds and fertilizers criticised
Government urged to implement free power scheme immediately

M. Mallikarjun Kharge

Bangalore: President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee M. Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday welcomed Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s announcement that his government would order a probe into the allegations of corruption against previous governments.

Addressing presspersons, Mr. Kharge appreciated Mr. Yeddyurappa for taking such a decision during his New Delhi visit. However, he wanted to know whether the probe would cover allegations of all corruption since 1952 or it would confine to the tenure of a particular government.

Whether the allegations of irregularities in the purchase of bicycles made during the tenure of the coalition government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy, the allegations of corruption involving Rs. 150 crore in the mining sector and cases reported under his regime would also be covered by the probe, he asked. The probe should be transparent, he added.

Mr. Kharge was critical of the manner in which the Bharatiya Janata Party Government was handling the shortage of seeds and fertilizers, particularly in Davangere and Gadag districts. Mr. Yeddyurappa and his Cabinet colleagues, who took the oath of office and secrecy in the name of farmers, had started ill-treating them and the police have lathicharged farmers who were standing in long queues to purchase seeds and fertilizers, he said.

He demanded that the farmers provided with all the inputs for agricultural operations, as there was heavy rain all over the State. Mr. Kharge said that he had also spoken to the senior officials of the IFFCO and Karnataka State Seed Corporation for helping the farmers.

The Congress leader alleged that the BJP leaders were busy visiting their seniors in New Delhi to sort out differences in the party rather than solving the problems of farmers. The police action against the agricultural community exposed the hollowness of the sympathy of the BJP, he added.

Reminding Mr. Yeddyurappa of his party’s poll promise that the farmers would be provided with free power, Mr. Kharge urged him to implement the scheme immediately. “Perhaps, Mr. Yeddyurappa might have forgotten his promise in the din of internal bickering of his party,” he said.

He criticised the BJP for not choosing the senior-most member of the Assembly to function as pro tem Speaker (for swearing in the newly elected MLAs) and said that the convention had been violated.

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