Senior Congress lawmaker B R Patil
Credit: DH, iStock Photos
Bengaluru: Senior Congress lawmaker B R Patil claimed that there is bribery in the allotment of public housing units, a fresh corruption allegation that rattled the two-year-old Congress government.
Patil made this charge against his own party’s government in a viral phone conversation with Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan’s private secretary Sarfaraz Khan.
“If I open my mouth, the government will shake,” the Aland MLA is heard saying. When contacted, Patil confirmed that it was his voice on the audio. Here’s the full transcript of the Urdu-Hindi conversation, translated into English:
Sarfaraz: Hello?
Patil: Sarfaraz?
Sarfaraz: Yes, Sir.
Patil: Don’t get me wrong. It’s astonishing that at Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation, only those who pay money get houses allocated.
Sarfaraz: Sir, we spoke about this last time...I have a request...
Patil: Listen...what’s happening? Is this some kind of a business?
Sarfaraz: Sir, if that’s the case, please give us details. I told you last time. We’ll take action immediately. Whoever it is, we’ll send them behind bars.
Patil: Brother...why will I hurl charges against my own government? It’s my experience that only those who pay get houses.
Sarfaraz: That’s impossible, Sir. When there are no houses, how can we allot them, Sir?
Patil: How many houses have you allocated?
Sarfaraz: Two years back, when the new government came to power, about 10,000-12,000 houses were allotted based on requests by MLAs and the minister. Now, we’ve asked for about 43,000 houses.
Patil: Listen, my letter wasn’t approved. But a gram panchayat chairman took a letter from me, which got approved after paying money. What happens to my reputation?
Sarfaraz: Sir, give me details. I’ll get details. If it’s true, I’ll hang that fellow...100%.
Patil: You’ll have to hang many people, not one.
Sarfaraz: Give me details, Sir. We’ll see what happened.
Patil: Take for example Gangapur, Kudugunchi and Hithal Shirur.
Sarfaraz: Alright, I’ll check and call you back.
Patil: What will you check? This is my experience. Why will I accused our party’s minister and government?
Sarfaraz: Sir, let me check and get back because...
Patil: You won’t find evidence of bribery. The one who gave has given and the one who took has taken.
Sarfaraz: No, Sir. We will definitely get evidence in this. I’ll check and tell you.
Patil: (Laughs) In my neighboring Afzalpur constituency, so many houses were taken by paying money.
Sarfaraz: I’ll check and tell you, Sir. I want to get into this and find out who did this.
Patil: Should I check for you?
Sarfaraz: Please give me details, Sir.
Patil: Listen to this: 200 houses in Munalli, 100 in Darga Sirur, 200 in Gangapur, 200 in Kawalaga, 200 in Madiyal...there’s totally 950. These houses were taken after paying money.
Sarfaraz: I’ll check right away and tell you, Sir.
Patil: (Laughs) Yeah, right. If I open my mouth, the government will shake.