Zameer Ahmed Khan gives to resign if discovered responsible in housing bribery row

Last week, a leaked audio clip surfaced wherein Congress MLA BR Patil, additionally the deputy chairman of the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission, alleged that housing items in his constituency had been sanctioned in trade for bribes. Patil claimed that roughly 950 homes had been allotted primarily based on suggestions by a panchayat member, whereas his personal checklist of beneficiary names was ignored.

Responding to the allegations, Khan on Tuesday requested Patil to disclose who precisely was concerned within the wrongdoing. “There must be readability on who took the bribe. Is it the panchayat member, any officer or the minister?” he requested.

Khan reiterated that he was in a roundabout way named in Patil’s claims and expressed readiness to face scrutiny. “If anybody took the cash, they need to be investigated and strict motion must be taken in opposition to them,” he mentioned, including {that a} departmental inquiry was already in progress. “I’m open to an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),” he added.

The minister insisted that each one housing allotments in Aland had been made primarily based on panchayat suggestions. “Let BR Patil identify those that took cash from the poor beneficiaries. We will take motion in opposition to them. The contribution (by the federal government for constructing homes) is ₹1.2 lakh. Is it potential to take ₹5,000–10,000 for that? …. There is not any query of taking bribes from the poor for such schemes,” Khan mentioned.

When Congress MLA Belur Gopalkrishna steered that Khan ought to resign in gentle of the controversy, the minister responded, “If it’s proved that I’m concerned, I’ll resign. No one has to ask for it.”

Asked concerning the minister’s feedback, Patil mentioned, “I’ve not heard his feedback. I can’t remark.”

Following the controversy, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the ruling Congress authorities of institutionalised corruption. BJP state president BY Vijayendra requested governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to step in, and referred to as for the resignation of each chief minister Siddaramaiah and housing minister Zameer Ahmed Khan.

“BR Patil has alleged that there’s rampant corruption within the housing division and that, with out paying bribes, widespread individuals are not getting homes allotted in rural areas,” Vijayendra mentioned. He mentioned, “Another senior Congress MLA, Raju Kage, has acknowledged that he’s pissed off as grants meant for the event of his constituency haven’t been launched as a result of commissions haven’t been paid.”

Speaking to the media in Ainapur village of Belagavi district, Kage mentioned that regardless of ₹25 crore being sanctioned underneath the chief minister’s particular grant for his constituency, there was little to no progress in implementation. “The system has collapsed utterly, and I wouldn’t be shocked if I resign in two days,” he declared.

Vijayendra alleged that ministers had been underneath stress to gather funds for the Congress central management. “Karnataka has change into an ‘ATM’ for the Congress excessive command,” he mentioned. “All ministers are underneath great stress to gather cash to satisfy the calls for of their celebration’s central management, resulting in corruption in each division.”

Vijayendra additionally demanded that Siddaramaiah should not solely search the resignation of housing minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, underneath hearth in a separate housing problem, but additionally take ethical accountability. “I urge the governor to take this matter very severely. The administration has come to a standstill, individuals are fed up with corruption all over the place, and even Congress MLAs are exposing their authorities. I urge him to intervene on this matter.”