Excise scam row rocks Karnataka Assembly; Oppn demands Minister’s resignation

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly witnessed uproar as BJP and JD(S) members demanded the resignation of Excise Minister RB Timmapur over alleged corruption in liquor licensing and transfers, citing audio evidence and complaints filed with the Lokayukta

Bengaluru: Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Wednesday witnessed uproarious scenes with BJP and JD(S) members protesting from the well of the House, demanding the resignation of Excise Minister RB Timmapur, alleging a multi-crore scam in his department.

The opposition on Tuesday had staged an all-night protest in the Assembly after Timmapur refused to quit over corruption charges against him and his son in liquor licensing and transfer of officials.

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As the House met for the day, BJP and JD(S) MLAs, who were in the well of the House, shouted slogans, demanding Timmapur’s resignation.

Leading the charge, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka alleged that in the Excise Department, bribes were being taken for granting licences and for facilitating transfers.

Wine merchants’ association had alleged that the scam in the Excise Department was to the tune of about Rs 6,000 crore, and related audio recordings had been released, complaints had been filed with the Lokayukta, he said.

He also claimed that the “looted money” was being used by the ruling Congress to fund the party in election-bound States.

Stating that he has provided three pen drives in the House, containing audio evidence to prove alleged scam in the Excise Department, and there are statements made by an Excise Deputy Commissioner about commissions going to the Minister, Ashoka said, Thimmapur should immediately resign, and there should be an inquiry.

“I urge the Chief Minister to take the Minister’s resignation immediately, let there be an inquiry, and after three months if he is proved innocent, take him back in to the ministry,” he said, adding that K J George of Congress and K S Eshwarappa, earlier with BJP, had resigned as ministers in the past, following allegations against them.

Questions are being asked as to what is the CM’s share in this scam, for not taking any action against the minister, who is facing charges, the opposition leader said, “Siddaramaiah preaches morality, but does he have any morality?” Valmiki ST Development Corporation funds were used by the ruling Congress for Lok Sabha polls, he alleged.

“Now for Assam polls, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar is the Congress election in-charge and for Kerala K J George is the in-charge, and the fund used in these elections is the Karnataka Excise department’s. We have been alleging that Congress is using Karnataka as its ATM, but now it is emerging that for the Congress leadership, Karnataka is a Reserve Bank to fund their elections.” Following this, BJP and JD(S) members protesting from the well of the House shouted slogans demanding the Minister Timmapur’s resignation; some slogans were also raised against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

As his repeated attempts to convince the opposition to withdraw the protest failed, Speaker U T Khader allowed the Congress members to continue with the discussion on the resolution moved by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Assembly on Tuesday, urging the Centre to immediately repeal the VB-G RAM G act and reinstate MGNREGA.

After some time, as the protest and sloganeering intensified, Deputy Speaker Rudrappa Manappa Lamani, who was on the Chair, adjourned the House for some time.