BJP's R Ashoka says e-Khata could be Rs 10,000 crore scam, accuses Karnataka govt of 'not delivering development'

Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka claimed that the e-Khata drive in Bengaluru could be a scam worth Rs 10,000 crore.

Ashoka said this during a debate he initiated in the Karnataka Assembly on "lack of development" under the ruling Congress.

"This e-Khata has become a burden for people. Citizens are being charged Rs 12,000 for a one-time khata. I have information about a case in which one person received one-time password (OTP) 150 times," Ashoka, who represents Padmanabhanagar in the city, said.

"The e-Khata should have been simple," he added.

Ashoka launched a broadside against the Congress government, accusing it of not delivering development despite imposing levies worth Rs 56,422 crore on citizens.

"This government has collected Rs 56,422 crore in taxes from citizens since coming to power. It is tax terrorism. Still, the state hasn't seen any development. So, where did the money go?" Ashoka asked.

Ashoka said the government has hiked fuel, milk, water, power, liquor, bus tickets, metro fares, guidance values, stamp duty and motor vehicles taxes.

"Have you (government) completed any irrigation project? Have you started any new colleges? Without any development, you're just an empty box making noise," Ashoka charged, adding that Congress MLAs themselves had criticised the government over lack of development.

"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah certainly has a blackspot when it comes to providing development grants," Ashoka said, accusing the government of "cheating" people.

"Do development or go home," he said.

Ashoka recalled statements made by Congress lawmakers BR Patil, Raju Kage, G Parameshwara and DK Shivakumar on the government's finances and functioning. "These are people who should have defended the government," he said.

Referring to Siddaramaiah's promise of providing each Congress MLA a grant of Rs 50 crore, Ashoka said opposition lawmakers must not be discriminated against.

"If the grant is provided at all, it must be equal for all," he said.

Training his guns at Shivakumar, the deputy chief minister in charge of Bengaluru, Ashoka said the Vidhana Soudha vicinity itself had 1,500 potholes. "Shivakumar is the pied piper leading Bengalureans into a pit," he said, mocking Shivakumar's 'Brand Bengaluru' initiative.

"Bus speeds are down to 9 km from 15 km due to potholes. Bengaluru is now ranked third globally in the list of bad cities," Ashoka said.