Even before the storm around Karnataka Home Minister’s controversial remarks normalising molestation could settle down, the Congress government is embroiled in yet another embarrassing situation. Since its formation, the state government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been facing the heat of multiple corruption scandals. With corruption plaguing governance, CM Siddaramaiah’s Economic Adviser recently triggered a fresh storm when he reportedly described Karnataka as “Number one in corruption”.
However, hours after egging the face of the state government, CM’s Economic Adviser Basavaraj Rayareddi distanced from his purported remarks, repeating the cliched response, “he was misquoted” by the media. Denying that he made such a remark, he even went on to claim that the Congress government was taking measures to curb corruption in the state.
Karnataka number 1 in corruption remark: The chronology
The recent embarrassment for the Congress Sarkara unfolded when the Yelburga MLA spoke at an event organised by the Regional Imbalance Redressal Committee in Koppal on Tuesday. At the event, he said, “Irrespective of who is in power, corruption is widespread. In corruption, Karnataka is number one.”
When the controversy escalated, Rayareddi held a news conference a day later where he claimed that his words addressed to officials at the meeting were taken out of context by the media.
He said, “The statements made by me in the meeting regarding the quality of works in Kalyana Karnataka region were misinterpreted in the media.”
He further claimed that he had not ranked Karnataka as “number one or two or three in corruption”.
Rayareddi added that his grievance was that there was more corruption in works carried out in the Kalyana Karnataka region compared to the old Mysuru region.
He added, “I did not accuse any party (of corruption). It was a general statement.”
As per reports, Rayareddi had, on Tuesday, blamed corruption for the substandard work in various projects.
He had said, “In the past, government buildings that used to last for five to six decades are now collapsing in just 10 years,” arguing that corruption was more rampant in the Kalyana Karnataka region than in other parts of the state.
During the said meeting, Rayareddi had asked how regional imbalance could be addressed when there was large-scale corruption.
He further stated, “Officials behave in the same manner as elected representatives.”
He had reportedly added that his views about corruption “will not change irrespective of what the chief minister says”.
Slamming the Congress government, state BJP president B Y Vijayendra said that “corruption and looting was an integral part of the Congress government”.
