The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is facing allegations of corruption in the procurement and distribution of sweaters for students in civic-run schools and colleges amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Educational institutions have been shut in Karnataka and other states for over a year due to the pandemic. A report in The Indian Express says the order for the sweaters, worth Rs 1.72 crore, was issued when schools and colleges were not open, and that the students had not received them yet.
On August 24, Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS) staged a protest outside the BBMP office, accusing civic officials and the ruling BJP government of irregularities in the purchase of sweaters for students. They reportedly demanded action against “corrupt officials” and said they would be writing to the chief minister about the “scam”.
The Karnataka government gives a pair of sweaters, every year, to students at civic-run educational institutions at the beginning of the academic year in June.
The Congress has also joined the DSS in accusing the BBMP of corruption and has sought a clarification from chief minister Basavaraj Bommai.
“This government is the most corrupt government in the country. It is a shame that now, there is a scam even in buying sweaters for students,” state Congress president DK Shivakumar told the media, in a video posted on the Twitter handle of Karnataka Congress.
Karnataka DSS chairperson CS Raghu, who claimed to have “unearthed the scam”, told United News International, that civic officials got bills in favour of Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation for sweaters that were not distributed. “…I have the documents, also the bills that have been produced… I am going to submit it to the government,” he was quoted as saying in the report.
However, BBMP commissioner Gaurav Gupta has rejected the allegations and said he had sought a report from the education department. The Indian Express report quoted him as saying, “The decision to buy sweaters was taken by the education standing committee before the BBMP council was dissolved. They have been supplied and quality checks have been carried out. I have asked for a report on the same. If there is any scam as alleged, we will initiate a probe and take action.”
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Assembly Elections Live Updates here.
Comments
0 comment