40% cut for govt projects, 30% for mutt grants

By Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: If the commission for government projects is allegedly a whopping 40 per cent, that for getting government grants released to mutts is slightly lower at 30%.

The shocking revelation was made by the seer of a prominent Lingayat mutt in north Karnataka and could come in handy for the Congress party to launch a barrage against the ruling BJP. On Sunday, Jagadguru Fakira Dingaleshwara Swamiji of Shirahatti while speaking at the valedictory function of the ‘Krishna-MahadayiNavali Sankalpa yatra’ at Baadagandi village in Bilagi taluk, said building work usually starts only after a ‘cut’ is made to get funds released by the government. The officers come to the mutt and insist that money will not be released without a ‘cut,’ the seer disclosed raising eyebrows all around.

Reacting strongly to the seer’s statement, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, “Sri Dingaleshwara Swamiji is a prominent seer and has a good track record. Instead of making a sweeping statement like this, it will be better for the pontiff to give details of the officials who demanded a ‘percentage’ from him when, where, why and how much so that it will help the government order a probe. We are ready to probe it and dig out the truth”.

The Bommai government is in neck-deep trouble after accusations of commission were made by the state Contractors Association with its President, Kempanna claiming that the ‘cut’ demanded by various department is as high as 40 per cent which has made it impossible for contractors to function.

Things reached a flashpoint after a civil contractor, Santosh Patil’s body was found in an Udupi lodge. He had in WhatsApp messages accused RDPR Minister KS Eshwarappa of demanding 40 per cent commission for releasing funds for a RS 4 crore project completed by him. Following widespread protests led by the Congress, Eshwarappa was forced to resign.