Submit documents of govt officials demanding 40% commission to Nagamohan Das panel, Siddaramaiah tells contractors

Hosadurga: Reacting to Karnataka State Contractors Association President Kempanna's allegation that the government officials are demanding 40 per cent commission, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah suggested contractors to provide documents pertaining to 40 per cent commission demand to retired justice Nagmohan Das commission.

Speaking to media persons, here on Friday, he said the state government has constituted a commission to probe allegations related to 40 per cent commission. Let contractors give documents to the commission for suitable action.

When questioned whether Karnataka will approach the Supreme Court in connection with disparity in allocation of grants to Karnataka on the lines of Kerala, he said, "Disparity in allocation of grants is true. But we have not thought of approaching the Supreme Court yet."

He said Karnataka gets Rs 13 for paying Rs 100 tax to the Centre. Narendra Modi had demanded the Centre not to collect tax from Gujrat during his tenure as chief minister. "When we demand our share, they are making allegations of separate country. Don't you think it was Modi who laid foundation for separate country," he questioned.

He said Karnataka is demanding the state's share. "We are supposed to get 42 per cent grants as per the 14th finance commission and 41 per cent as per the 15th finance commission. The Centre owes dues to the tune of Rs 1.87 lakh crore since 2017. We, being Kannadigas are enraged by this."

Referring to Upper Bhadra project, he said the Centre had announced grant of Rs 5, 300 crore in 2023-24 budget for the project. But so far, nothing has been released to the state. It did not even declare it as national project. So far, Rs 8,000 crore had been spent on the project. Of it, the state has borne Rs 6,000 crore.

"Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking grants for the project. I too have drawn the attention of the Centre. Sitharaman is an elected member of Rajya Sabha from Karnataka," he said.

"Does not she have any responsibility towards Karnataka? He questioned and said the Centre must release grants announced in the budget. It must release special grants of Rs 11, 495 crore," the chief minister demanded.

He also promised that the government would take action against BJP leader K S Eshwarappa for stating that Congress MP D K Suresh must be killed for demanding a separate country while protesting disparity in allocation of grants to Karnataka. Eshwarappa claims that he is trained in RSS. Does RSS train people in this manner," Siddaramaiah taunted.