HD Kumaraswamy demands SIT probe into allegation of ₹50 cr for 50 Karnataka Cong MLAs

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday demanded a SIT probe into Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's allegation that BJP offered ₹50 crore each to 50 Congress MLAs to topple his government in Karnataka.

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He said the ruling Congress should utilise its power and get the bribery case investigated.

The chief minister on Wednesday claimed that the BJP offered bribes to 50 Congress MLAs but none of them agreed for it. As a result, the BJP is now targeting and framing him in false cases such as MUDA site allotment scam, Siddaramaiah said at an event in Mysuru.

The Lokayukta police, which is investigating the MUDA case on a special court’s direction, have registered a case against Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi B M and brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy.

Kumaraswamy termed the chief minister's statement on bribery irresponsible.

"Such statements shouldn’t be given as they look like the ones given by bafoons," the Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries told reporters.

"He (Siddaramaiah) has formed various Special Investigation Teams. Let him form one more SIT to probe this case also," Kumaraswamy said.

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"If he does not form an SIT to probe this case then people will doubt him and his Cabinet colleagues," he added.

Regarding Karnataka Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan’s racist slur 'Kaalia' and 'Kariyanna' against him, Kumaraswamy said he would wait till November 23 when the counting of votes for the Channapatna bypoll gets over.

Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is contesting the election on the JD(S) ticket as an NDA candidate from Channapatna in Ramanagara.

During an election campaign in the minority pocket in Channapatna constituency, Khan called Kumaraswamy as 'Kaalia Kumaraswamy' (Black Kumaraswamy).

On Khan's claim that Kumaraswamy used to call him 'Kulla' (dwarf in Kannada), the union minister said he is not the one who has come from such a background to be called as 'Kaalia' and address others as 'Kulla'. "This statement shows his culture. This reflects on the culture of the state government," he said.