Karnataka scam: Siddaramaiah to seek Bhovi Corporation chief's resignation?

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is considering seeking the resignation of Karnataka Bhovi Development Corporation chairman S Ravikumar after the latter was caught on camera purportedly demanding bribe.

In a sting operation widely aired on news channels on Monday, Ravikumar was heard demanding cuts from beneficiaries of land purchase scheme under the corporation.

What’s the scheme?

Under the scheme, women landless agricultural labourers belonging to the Bhovi community are given assistance to purchase up to two acres of dry or one acre of irrigated land.

The corporation provides a 50% subsidy and the rest through a term loan.

BJP state president B Y Vijayendra likened it to “the fence eating the crop” and demanded a Lokayukta investigation.

HDK’s reaction

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) said the Bhovi corporation joined the Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation as “a corruption hotspot”. 

“The so-called ‘empowerment’ boards for small communities have turned into ATMs for the corrupt,” he said.