Bengaluru, Jun 24 (UNI) Karnataka Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan on Tuesday called for a CBI inquiry into allegations of corruption in the allocation of government housing meant for the poor.
The demand comes after senior Congress MLA BR Patil raised concerns about irregularities in house allotments under the state’s housing scheme.
Addressing the media, Zameer strongly denied any personal involvement in wrongdoing but admitted that there had been allegations of money being exchanged through local Panchayat members during the allotment process. He stated that a departmental inquiry had already been initiated and that he was now seeking a central investigation to ensure transparency.
Zameer said the allegations were serious as they came from within the ruling Congress party itself. He noted that BR Patil had not named him directly but had made sweeping accusations that affected the integrity of the department.
He added that Patil himself had submitted requests for over 2,000 houses and questioned why such complaints were being made after receiving such a high number of allocations.
The minister revealed that housing requests had come from MLAs across party lines, including BJP, JD(S), and Congress, and said that he had responded to their letters based on eligibility and available targets.
He emphasized that house allotments were being made based on pre-set goals from the Chief Minister's office and that no new targets had been issued beyond the existing three-year plan.
In a pointed comparison, Zameer highlighted that during former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s 1.5-year tenure, only 690 houses were allotted to Ramanagara district, whereas under the current government, over 8,000 houses had already been sanctioned, including 5,000 for Channapatna and 3,000 for Ramanagara.
Responding to allegations of bribery, Zameer said house selection was done through Panchayats, not MLAs, and that any member, official, or staff found guilty of taking bribes should face strict legal action. He made it clear that he would not protect anyone, regardless of their political or administrative standing.
In an appeal, the minister said that those who take money from the poor for houses will not prosper, warning that such actions would bring a curse upon their families. He maintained that the government’s responsibility is to serve the poor with integrity and dignity, and corruption in such matters would not be tolerated.
Zameer concluded by stating that he remained fully committed to transparency and justice. He invited the Chief Minister to look into the matter and called on central agencies to investigate thoroughly. If anyone is guilty, he said, they must be named, shamed, and punished, whether they are MLAs, officials, or political associates.
The remarks by Zameer has intensified political tension within the Congress party and may force the Karnataka government to take further action to maintain public confidence in its welfare delivery systems.
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