Bengaluru, 14 Dec

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday alleged that BJP State President BY Vijayendra "tried to bribe" the former Minority Commission chairperson during the previous BJP government, Anwar Manippady with Rs 150 crore to suppress investigations into the Waqf property encroachment.

He even claimed that Manippady had written to the Prime Minister about this corruption. “Anwar Manippady had publicly stated that Vijayendra visited his house during BS Yediyurappa’s tenure as CM and offered ₹150 crore to keep silent about the Waqf property encroachment report. He has further stated that Anwar sent Vijayendra out of his house and reported this incident to PM Modi and the BJP President,” Siddaramaiah said in a statement issued to media.

There is no immediate reaction either from Manippady or Vijayendra. “What happened to Modi’s grand ‘Na khaunga, na khane doonga’ promise? His silence on this explosive allegation raises suspicions and several questions. Why is the BJP leadership shielding Vijayendra and others involved in the Waqf property loot?” the Chief Minister asked.

He alleged that the BJP, under former chief ministers BS Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, was already notorious for issuing record notices related to Waqf properties. “Now, with these bribery allegations and Vijayendra’s rising role in BJP despite serious charges, it’s evident that Karnataka has become the BJP’s ATM,” he charged.

The Chief Minister also alleged that the Vijayapura BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal had accused Vijayendra of paying Rs 2,000 crore to secure his father Yediyurappa’s Chief Ministership. “From COVID procurement scam to Waqf property looting, skeletons are tumbling out of the BJP’s closet in Karnataka. Instead of answering these allegations, BJP is resorting to baseless accusations against our leaders to divert attention,” Siddaramaiah said.

He said Modi should break his silence and order a CBI inquiry into these allegations immediately as “the people of Karnataka deserve answers, not cover-ups”.

This statement comes against the backdrop of BJP MLAs staging a walkout from the Assembly on Friday as ruling Congress members allegedly tried to obstruct Leader of Opposition R Ashoka from raising the Waqf issue.