<p>Senior Congress MLA B R Patil’s explosive allegations of large-scale corruption in the allotment of houses by the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Ltd have once again exposed the rot festering within government welfare programmes. When a sitting Vice Chairman of the State Policy and Planning Commission publicly declares that bribes are being demanded from MLAs to allot houses meant for the poor, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah can no longer look away. Patil is not known for making reckless and unsubstantiated charges, and his stature lends significant weight to these allegations. The recent leak of a phone conversation between him and Sarfaraz Khan, the private secretary to Housing and Minority Welfare minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, has triggered a political tremor. While Patil has confirmed that the voice is his, he has clarified that he has not named the minister. However, the implication is clear: corruption has penetrated deep into the very schemes meant to uplift the most vulnerable.</p>.Rein in MLAs airing grievances in public: Venugopal to Siddaramaiah.<p>The claim that nearly 950 houses were allotted through corrupt means in the Aland constituency and neighbouring areas is deeply troubling. If elected legislators themselves are compelled to grease palms, what hopes remain for the common citizen? Many MLAs are already expressing frustration over the lack of development funds for their constituencies, making housing schemes one of the few tangible benefits they can deliver to their voters. If these too are hijacked by middlemen and cronies, it is a betrayal of not just good governance, but of the hopes and aspirations of the economically disadvantaged. The minister who chairs the corporation has strongly denied these allegations, even offering to resign if they are proven. While individual accountability is important, the larger question is about institutional integrity. Successive governments, unfortunately, have treated housing schemes less as instruments of social welfare and more as political tools for patronage. The practice of ignoring recommendation letters from MLAs unless bribes are paid, is not just unethical; it undermines the very process of democratic representation and erodes public trust in the system.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Chief Minister must act swiftly and decisively. Merely ordering a perfunctory inquiry is insufficient, especially when illegal transactions leave no trail. He must summon Patil, investigate the matter personally, and ensure that those found guilty are severely punished. The perception that Siddaramaiah is aloof and surrounded by a coterie of advisers is already gaining traction. At this late stage in his political career, he cannot afford the taint of inaction. Having come to power accusing the previous BJP government of corruption, the Congress should not now sink to lower depths.</p>
<p>Senior Congress MLA B R Patil’s explosive allegations of large-scale corruption in the allotment of houses by the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Ltd have once again exposed the rot festering within government welfare programmes. When a sitting Vice Chairman of the State Policy and Planning Commission publicly declares that bribes are being demanded from MLAs to allot houses meant for the poor, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah can no longer look away. Patil is not known for making reckless and unsubstantiated charges, and his stature lends significant weight to these allegations. The recent leak of a phone conversation between him and Sarfaraz Khan, the private secretary to Housing and Minority Welfare minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, has triggered a political tremor. While Patil has confirmed that the voice is his, he has clarified that he has not named the minister. However, the implication is clear: corruption has penetrated deep into the very schemes meant to uplift the most vulnerable.</p>.Rein in MLAs airing grievances in public: Venugopal to Siddaramaiah.<p>The claim that nearly 950 houses were allotted through corrupt means in the Aland constituency and neighbouring areas is deeply troubling. If elected legislators themselves are compelled to grease palms, what hopes remain for the common citizen? Many MLAs are already expressing frustration over the lack of development funds for their constituencies, making housing schemes one of the few tangible benefits they can deliver to their voters. If these too are hijacked by middlemen and cronies, it is a betrayal of not just good governance, but of the hopes and aspirations of the economically disadvantaged. The minister who chairs the corporation has strongly denied these allegations, even offering to resign if they are proven. While individual accountability is important, the larger question is about institutional integrity. Successive governments, unfortunately, have treated housing schemes less as instruments of social welfare and more as political tools for patronage. The practice of ignoring recommendation letters from MLAs unless bribes are paid, is not just unethical; it undermines the very process of democratic representation and erodes public trust in the system.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Chief Minister must act swiftly and decisively. Merely ordering a perfunctory inquiry is insufficient, especially when illegal transactions leave no trail. He must summon Patil, investigate the matter personally, and ensure that those found guilty are severely punished. The perception that Siddaramaiah is aloof and surrounded by a coterie of advisers is already gaining traction. At this late stage in his political career, he cannot afford the taint of inaction. Having come to power accusing the previous BJP government of corruption, the Congress should not now sink to lower depths.</p>
