BJP diverting graft charges with caste card: Priyank Kharge

MYSURU:  Congress leader Priyank Kharge has hit out at BJP ministers for allegedly shielding themselves under the caste banner while being questioned about rampant corruption by the Opposition parties. He said that the ministers, who are accused of rampant corruption, are desperately trying to save their face by playing the caste card and winning over the people.

Defending the Congress’ campaign against corruption with its ‘PayCM’ posters and QR codes, he said that the QR codes for recruitment in various departments is shared by their own party and officers, and not cooked up by the Congress, he clarified.

Speaking to reporters here, Kharge said the BJP is known for its standard operating procedure of ‘Corruption, Commission, and Communalism’, whenever it comes under fire for its failures and poor governance. 

Denying that the Congress has tarnished the image of Karnataka by making the ‘40 per cent commission' charge against the Basavaraj Bommai government, he wondered how will it dent the image of the state when they have raised the interest of the people and the 25 lakh unemployed youths, who had applied for jobs in various departments.

Lashing out at the BJP leaders for calling Congress as ‘anti-Lingayat’, Kharge asked why they made “Yediyurappa step down in tears”. “Are minister Madhuswamy,  ex-ministers Vishwanath, Eshwarappa, and Renukacharya, all anti-Lingayats for speaking out against the government? Why didn’t they bring the Lingayat factor, when veteran Yediyurappa was unceremoniously shunted from the CM gaddi? he asked.

Accusing the BJP government of working against the Basava philosophy, Kharge demanded that the government order a judicial probe into the corruption of the previous and present governments. Congress is not running and is ready to face any probe to bring the corrupt to book,” he added.

Meanwhile, criticising the BJP for displaying black flags and throwing eggs at Opposition leader Siddaramaiah’s vehicle, he said the CM should know that the Congress is not into dirty politics, but it is the  BJP that is doing dirty politics by purchasing MLAs to form governments.