Karnataka: BJP Seeks To Divert Attention From Its Own Corruption

In Karnataka, the Bharatiya Janata Party launched a 79-day “Parivartan Yatra” (Journey for Change) on November 2, virtually starting the party’s political campaign ahead of State Assembly elections next year. Meanwhile, there are reports that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be probing cases of alleged illegal export of more than 50,000 tonnes of iron ore, a massive scandal that involves several BJP leaders too. Perhaps, the Yatra is to divert attention from this because the public mandate in the state might get influenced by the developments in the probe.

B.S. Yeddyurappa, BJP Karnataka state President, had resigned as Chief Minister in July 2011 after a Lokayukta report on illegal mining implicated him and his family. Yeddyurappa also faces allegations of corruption over the speedy allocation of land in Bengaluru to his son’s company.

The Lokayukta report had estimated a loss of about Rs. 16,000 crore to the state exchequer between 2006 and 2010 because of illegal iron ore mining rampant in Karnataka. The report mentions the names of the then Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa, BJP leader Sriramalu, former Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H. D. Kumaraswamy, G. Janardhan Reddy and G. Karunakara Reddy, among others as responsible for the alleged mining scam. There are numerous reports that the mining scam was worth anything between Rs. 50,000 crore to Rs. 70,000 crore.

Kumaraswamy has a reportedly alleged that the BJP has promised a mining baron that he would be freed of all charges in the mining scam if he contributed Rs 500 crore to the Party for 2018 Assembly elections. This came after the Enforcement Directorate, which had earlier seized crores worth property belonging to Janardhan Reddy, was asked to return Rs 884 crore back to him by the state High Court. Also, in last November, Janardhan Reddy had reportedly spent a whopping Rs 500 crore on his daughter’s extravagant wedding when the rest of the country was struggling to withdraw they own money from the cashless banks and ATMs on account of demonetisation.

The state Congress government is also being blamed for not providing proper evidence to the CBI, as a consequence of which it had to recently close its investigations in the mining cases.

Despite all the allegations against Yeddyurappa, and even him quitting the BJP and rejoining it, he continues to be the favoured leader of BJP’s high command. The reason for this is the caste politics BJP is playing in its bid to win the forthcoming elections.

In 2008, Karnataka became the first South Indian state where rightwing Hindu supremacist BJP formed a government on its own. In Karnataka, the elite of two rival castes- Lingayat and Vokkaliga - are said to have a dominant role in the state’s politics. Political observers believe that BJP is placing its trust in Yeddyurappa as he belongs to the Lingayat community who have been restive with their demands, including seeking an independent religion status and holding protests across the state. So, corruption charges take a back seat while he becomes the BJP’s chief minister candidate. Such is BJP’s commitment to fight corruption!