Ready to hand over documents on graft in transfers to Speaker, says H D Kumaraswamy

Allegations over transfers rocked the Assembly again on Wednesday, with JD(S) floor leader H D Kumaraswamy saying that he would hand over documents related to corruption to Speaker U T Khader.

But the former CM neither named any minister nor took the name of any department regarding transfers in the Congress dispensation.

Kumaraswamy was participating in the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address to the legislature.

The Opposition parties, BJP and JD(S), have cornered the Congress over the ‘transfer business’ for at least two weeks now.

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Referring to the full-page newspaper advertisements released by the Congress prior to the elections, Kumaraswamy said, “Do you remember you had released this rate card for various posts in the BJP previous government. Today, I am giving you the rate card in the present dispensation, given to me by an official in a department.” He said he was neither going to name the minister nor the department, but urged the government to initiate action against the guilty as it promised corruption-free administration. “I will cooperate with the ruling party if it is ready to act against the corrupt,” Kumaraswamy said.

“The Congress government has completed just one and a half months in office. The are allegations galore of ‘transfer business’. If these charges are not taken seriously, it will sully the image of the government and people will teach a befitting lesson to you all,” he warned.

The former chief minister said he would hand over ‘the document’ to the Speaker and the government.

Intervening at this juncture, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said the rate card featured in the Congress’ advertisements was based on figures given out in public by the BJP’s own public representatives.

Irked by this, former minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said there was no basis for the Congress’ advertisement.

“I have the actual details of corruption in the social welfare department when Kharge was its minister,” he said.

He urged the government to consider supplying lentils, oil and other foodgrains along with rice under Anna Bhagya scheme in order to help farmers. Narayan suggested extending the ‘Yuvanidhi’ unemployment allowance to graduates and diploma holders from the previous academic year, instead of this year.