Karnataka BJP Demands Judicial Probe Amid Speaker Khader Graft Allegations

It demanded a judicial probe into the allegations. Addressing a press conference at the BJP state office Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru on Tuesday, BJP MP and former Speaker of the Assembly Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri said that the post of the Speaker should be freed from the allegations made against it. He demanded a judicial enquiry headed by a sitting judge into the allegations.

"Why are the tenders from the Speaker's office being awarded only to contractors from Mangaluru? Why are they going to a select few?" he asked.

"What was the opinion of the Secretariat officials? As per my information, the Finance Department had rejected the purchases, but later, it is alleged that the Chief Minister himself approved them. There are also accusations that the Chief Minister extended support to U.T. Khader," Kageri alleged.

"What was so urgent about these purchases?" he questioned.

He claimed that the corruption allegations began with the installation of a rosewood-carved frame at the main entrance of the Assembly.

"New television sets were installed in the Assembly Hall, and the installation of an AI-based monitoring system incurred huge costs. All MLAs were given wall clocks with the Gandaberunda (double-headed eagle) emblem," Kageri alleged.

"The Speaker started providing food and snacks at government expense. Was that necessary?" Kageri asked, adding, "At first glance, it seems unnecessary."

He said, "Bedsheets, carpets, and even wall paint were changed. There's a growing suspicion that there's more to all these refurbishments than meets the eye."

He further alleged irregularities in purchases made for MLAs' quarters.

"Smart door lockers were installed, reportedly to improve security. A company like Godrej sells these for around Rs 14,000-16,000 as per online listings, but the Speaker's office showed an expense of over Rs 49,000 per unit. Similarly, smart safe lockers available in the market for Rs 8,000-9,000 were billed for over Rs 35,000 each," he claimed.

He added, "Smart energy solutions that cost about Rs 30,000 in the market were purchased at Rs 90,500 each. Stainless steel water purifiers available for Rs 16,000-53,000 were bought for Rs 65,000. In total, 235 items were purchased -- including 123 smart energy systems, 224 safe lockers, and an equal number of door lockers."

"For a 4-5-day book fair, they spent Rs 4.5 crore. Even if they had purchased and distributed books, it might not have cost so much," Kageri said.

"They merely set up stalls and lighting and installed tables and cots at the MLAs' hostel. Appointments in the Secretariat have been stayed by the court. What's going on in the Speaker's chamber? All this brings disrepute to the position. U.T. Khader is currently abroad. How many countries has he visited, how much did those trips cost, and how much did the government pay?" he asked.

"I, too, have gone abroad when I was Speaker, but within the permissible limits. How many foreign trips has he undertaken, and with whom? All this needs to be made public," Kageri demanded.

Kageri reminded that when ten BJP MLAs were suspended in 2023, it was already alleged that U.T. Khader was acting under the Congress party's direction. "Later, when 18 more MLAs were suspended, questions arose whether the Speaker had become a puppet of the ruling party. During Assembly proceedings, concerns were raised over whether he was giving enough opportunity to the Opposition BJP," Kageri said.

"I have heard that even the Opposition Leader was not allotted a government residence. The system should function with fairness and dignity. But now, in the name of administrative reforms, large-scale corruption is taking place. These issues have been reported in newspapers, social media, and YouTube channels," he pointed out.

- IANS