The Hindu : Congress leader seeks debate on corruption

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 04, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Congress leader seeks debate on corruption

By Our Staff Correspondent

TUMKUR, MARCH 4. V.S. Ugrappa, General Secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee and MLC, said here today that a public debate was needed on corruption.

Addressing a meeting of Congress workers at Yakarlahalli in Madhugiri Taluk of Tumkur district, Mr. Ugrappa reacted sharply to a reported statement against the Congress by K.N. Rajanna, former MLC, who recently resigned from the Congress and joined the Janata Dal (Secular). Mr. Ugrappa said Mr. Rajanna had been criticising the Congress since he joined the Janata Dal (S). "I am ready to place before the public the details of corruption indulged in by the officials and politicians from 1994 to 1999, when Janata Dal ruled the State. Let Mr. Rajanna come out with details of corruption under the Congress rule from 1999 to 2004,'' he said and added that the people would come to know of the truth in the allegations.

Mr. Ugrappa said Mr. Rajanna had to relinquish the post of President of Tumkur District Central Cooperative Bank after members levelled charges of corruption against him. Mr. Ugrappa alleged that corruption in the grant of loan to sugar factories.

It may be recalled that Mr. Rajanna and his wife, S.R. Shantala, President of Tumkur Zilla Panchayat, who joined the JD(S) in Bangalore in the presence of former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, criticised the Congress for allegedly tolerating corruption.

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