Bengaluru, 24 June

Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday clarified that there is no shortage of funds in the State government, and that his earlier statement has been misunderstood.

"I did not say it like that. Who said there is no money? I have defended the government, saying that we have presented a record budget....as someone said things jokingly during the speech, I reacted in a similar fashion, that's all," Parameshwara told reporters on Tuesday.

Reiterating that Siddaramaiah has presented a Rs 4.09 lakh crore budget, he said, " I'm now saying officially that there is no financial distress in our government. I'm saying it very clearly. Sometimes, there may be a delay in the release of funds, as DPR and estimates have to be prepared before releasing money. There may be some delay in that; other than that, there is nothing else. There is no shortage of funds in our government for any reason. I'm making it clear. If anyone has misunderstood my statement, I'm correcting that," he added.

Parameshwara had on Monday told Bagalkot’s Badami MLA Bheemasen B Chimmanakatti "We don't have money, Siddaramaiah doesn't have money now."

State BJP President BY Vijayendra meanwhile urged Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to intervene in the “rampant corruption” and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Housing Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan.

Alleging that State has become an "ATM" for the Congress high command, he claimed that all ministers are under tremendous pressure to collect money to meet the demands of their party's central leadership, leading to corruption in every department.

His accusations against the government came in the wake of Congress MLA from Aland, BR Patil's claims about bribery in the allotment of public housing.

Speaking to reporters, he said, “Parameshwara has directed his party MLAs not to seek funds. The administration has completely collapsed. Corruption is rampant not only in the Housing Department but across every department."

Vijayendra alleged that ministers have "literally opened counters" for collecting bribes in every department.

"Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda had even asked officers to put up a rate list (while admonishing officials). This is the situation in Karnataka," he claimed.

The State government and Siddaramaiah have "literally handed over Karnataka to the commission mafia," he alleged.