Covid ‘scam’ FIR row: Cong pursuing politics of vengeance, says K’taka BJP
Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP has slammed that the filing of an FIR regarding the alleged Covid scam is nothing but pursuance of politics of vengeance by the Karnataka government.
The party is also stated that it won’t take the FIR seriously.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Saturday, former Chief Minister and BJP MP Jagadish Shettar stated, during the tenure of the Congress government the alleged irregularities in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and Valmiki tribal welfare authority had come out.
“Misappropriation of funds to the tune of hundreds of crores has come to light and investigations in this regard have reached a certain stage that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is being forced to tender his resignation,” Shettar claimed.
“With the objective of countering this and to carry out politics of vengeance on the previous BJP government and against those in power including ministers, the FIR has been registered,” Shettar alleged and added that the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission has not submitted its full report and on the basis of an interim report the FIR was lodged.
“The report could be considered when the investigation is done and the report is submitted. Later it could be considered. The present step is purely done in political vengeance,” he reiterated.
When asked about the Congress leaders claiming that hundreds of crores were misappropriated during the Covid pandemic by the then BJP government, Shettar refused to comment on it.
“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was the Leader of the Opposition sat quietly all these days. Filing of an FIR does not mean that the allegations are proved. The FIR is just a first information report. There is no question of taking the development seriously,” Shettar stated.
Earlier on Saturday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar clarified that the government was not pursuing politics of vengeance by filing an FIR concerning the alleged Covid scam.
Shivakumar stated, “The government had formed a commission led by High Court Justice John Michael D’Cunha and action was taken as per the panel’s recommendations.”
“We are studying the recommendations after which more action will be followed and everything will happen within the framework of law,” he said.
Sources stated that the Congress government is preparing to initiate legal action against prominent BJP leaders facing allegations in the Covid scam.
Earlier, the Commission had stated that B.S. Yediyurappa and then Health Ministers B. Sriramulu and K. Sudhakar had allegedly indulged in rampant corruption and misuse of power during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government lodged an FIR in this regarding, naming officials at the Vidhana Soudha police station in Bengaluru on Friday.
The government is also preparing to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the matter and act swiftly, the sources confirmed.
The 10-page FIR discusses the role of five doctors, two government officers, a pharmaceutical company and industries. It also mentions the involvement of politicians and no names have been given.