Bengaluru (Karnataka)

Amid the agitation against the Congress government in the Karnataka Assembly, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka on Wednesday alleged large-scale corruption in the Excise Department, claiming to have submitted evidence to back its allegations.

The BJP leader said the party had staged a sit-in protest on the Assembly premises and asserted that it would continue until accountability is established. The BJP leaders are demanding the resignation of Excise Minister RB Timmapur, alleging corruption in the Excise Department.

Addressing reporters here, Ashoka said, "We have done a sit-in protest in the assembly of Karnataka. There are audios and videos. I provided all the evidence yesterday at the assembly... We will continue this. This is the biggest loot in Karnataka."

Further, reacting to the allegations, Congress MLA G H Srinivasa accused Bharatiya Janata Party's protest of having "no basis or evidence" against the ministers.

"The BJP's protest has no basis. There is no evidence against the ministers. They raised it when we tried to move a resolution against the Central Government on MGNREGA-related issues. The BJP tried to divert attention by raising the issue of R Timmapur," Srinivasa alleged.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today continued its overnight protest inside the Vidhana Soudha, with Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashoka and party MLAs spending the night within the Assembly premises as part of their agitation against the Congress government.

The protest, which began a day earlier, entered its second day with BJP legislators being seen taking a morning walk inside the Assembly complex.

BJP MLA CN Ashwath Narayan launched an attack on the Congress-led state government, alleging that corruption has become institutionalised across departments, with the Excise Department being a major contributor.

The BJP leader claimed that the department has become what he described as an "ATM sarkar," alleging fixed collections from wine vendors, sought postings, and issued and renewed licences.

Ashwath Narayan said, "Each department, especially the Excise Department, is into a lot of corruption. It has become an 'ATM sarkar' and they have been collecting regular collections with fixed charges with wine vendors, officers for postings, license and everything."

He further alleged that the Excise Minister was collecting nearly Rs 6,000 crore annually through the department.

ALSO READ: Shab-e-Barāt: Mercy, memory, and moral reckoning in the Islamic realm

"We have made an allegation that this Minister collects Rs 6000 Crores each year from the Excise Department. So, we are demanding his resignation. We have produced lot of evidence," he added.

The protest also received support from Janata Dal (Secular), with JD(S) leader CB Suresh Babu joining the chorus against the state government. He said the opposition had been consistently demanding the Excise Minister's resignation over the last two days but accused the government of indecision.