From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Dec 14: In a sharp attack at BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s grand promise of “Na khaunga, Na khane doonga,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said BJP and Modi’s talk on corruption was “hollow” by pointing out that former State Minority Commission chairman Anwar Manippady was offered a “bribe” of Rs 150 crore by State BJP president B Y Vijayendra to suppress the investigations into Wakf property encroachments.
“It is a shocking revealation of Anwar Manippady directly writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about Vijayendra trying to bribe him with Rs 150 crore to suppress investigations into Wakf property encroachments,” said Siddaramaiah in a press release on Saturday.
IT/BT and Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge, who is also AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge’s son, had alleged about the letter written to Modi by Vijayendra regarding Rs 150 crore bribe offer to BJP appointed State Minority Commission chairman Anwar Manippady.
The Chief Minister, has in the statement said: “Anwar Manippady had publicly stated that Vijayendra visited his house during B S Yediyurappa’s tenure as CM and offered Rs 150 crore to keep silent about the Wakf property encroachment report. He has further stated that Anwar sent Vijayendra out of his house and reported this incident to PM Modi and the BJP president.”
“What happened to Modi’s grand “Na khaunga, na khane doonga” promise? His silence on this explosive allegation raises suspicions and several questions,” he said asking: “Why is the BJP leadership shielding Vijayendra and others involved in
the Wakf property loot? The BJP, under Yediyurappa and Bommai, was already notorious for issuing record notices related to Wakf properties. Now, with these bribery allegations and Vijayendra’s rising role in BJP despite serious charges, it’s evident that Karnataka has become the BJP’s ATM,” he said.
The chief minister pointed out that BJP leader and former Union Minister Basangouda Patil Yatnal himself accused Vijayendra of paying Rs 2,000 crore to secure his father Yediyurappa’s chief ministership. Combine this with the Wakf property loot, and a pattern of rampant corruption within BJP unfolds.
He said: “From Covid procurement scams to Wakf property looting, skeletons are tumbling out of the BJP’s closet in Karnataka. Instead of answering these allegations, BJP is resorting to baseless accusations against our leaders to divert attention.”
The chief minister took a jibe at Modi and said: “PM Modi must break his silence and order a CBI inquiry into these allegations immediately! The people of Karnataka deserve answers, not cover-ups.”