Reports have emerged stating that Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has written a letter to Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma, accusing Minister for Agriculture N. Cheluvarayaswamy of engaging in corrupt practices. However, official confirmation from the government and the Governor's office is yet to be provided.
In response to the alleged bribery scam involving Minister Cheluvarayaswamy, the Karnataka unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has demanded the immediate dismissal of the minister from the cabinet.
A group of officers from the Department of Agriculture has reportedly filed a complaint against Cheluvarayaswamy, alleging that he is demanding bribes ranging from Rs 6 to Rs 8 lakh through senior officers. They have urged the Governor's intervention to put an end to this corruption.
In their letter submitted to the Governor, the officers expressed their desperation by stating that if their issue is not resolved, they and their family members would resort to consuming poison.
Reacting to the reports, Minister Cheluvarayaswamy clarified that his department has not received any official information regarding such allegations. He mentioned that there might be a fake letter circulating in the media about the matter.
Regarding the complaint filed with the Governor, Cheluvarayaswamy stated that he has instructed the secretary to conduct an investigation and await the report before making any statements.
The minister's name has been previously linked to a bus conductor's case after the latter consument pointed after being allegedly targeted by the minister resulting in his transfer due to political rivalry. The incident had stirred controversy during the assembly budget session and led to heated debates involving former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, CM Siddaramaiah, and Minister Cheluvarayaswamy.
Prior to his affiliation with the Congress, Cheluvarayaswamy was associated with the JD(S) party and had strong ties with the H.D. Kumaraswamy and H.D. Deve Gowda family. His switch to the Congress along with other prominent leaders had dealt a significant blow to the JD(S). The leaders cited reasons such as family politics and internal turmoil within the JD(S) as their motivation for joining the Congress.
With inputs from IANS