From: krishna@seas.smu.edu (Sanjay Krishna)
Subject: Bangarappa the 5% CM ?
Organization: School of Engineering and Applied Science
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 03:19:17 GMT

From: nagappa@Rosie.UH.EDU (C Nagappa - behind the scenes)
Subject: Bangarappa of Karnataka Mr. 5%?
Hello nettors,

>	My cousin who has just returned from a vacation in India, mainly
>Bangalore and thereabouts, told me about the alleged widespread 
>corruption under Mr. Bangarappa (CM of Karnataka). Allegedly, he has a 
>reputation similar to Pakistan's Asif Zardari (Mr. 10%), except that his
>commission is (allegedly) less - around 5%.

>	Also I heard that he has acquired a large number of money-
>making businesses in Bangalore and elsewhere: Hotel Ashoka, Windsor
>Manor, Holiday Inn, Taj, etc., and he is also allegedly taking about 10%
>of proceeds from the Bangalore Dairy milk sales.

>	Can someone with more inside knowledge please shed some light
>on this? If this is true then it is extremely shocking and must be
>dealt with. (Of course, due to security reasons I'll say no more).
>Please respond by email if you don't want to post.

>Regards,

>Chetan Nagappa


Well I have 10 Deccan Herald issues from May 24 to June 4 and have read them
carefully. There are absolutely no such items in the newspaper or in the 
letters to the editor or the complaints section where people are free to 
vent their feelings. From the news items itself, exactly the opposite is 
taking place. This should come as a surprise to many Bangaloreans and other
folk from Karnataka - EVERY state government undertaking is making profits 
except for a marginal loss by KEB. Yes, KSRTC recorded its first profit 
3 crores in several years and seems well set to go on to higher profits.
The Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies, The Silk Industries corp, the 
Karnataka Milk Federation ( it includes the Bangalore diary) etc, etc have
all posted profits. Their managers do not seem to be complaining. Karnataka
has recieved the highest plan outlay per capita of any state ( this is the 
first time after Devaraj Urs). This seems to be one state govt that has 
plenty of money ( its resource mobilization and fiscal management have come
in for praise from a person no less than  Manmohan Singh) - probably thats
the reason that the people ( usually fueled by the opposition) believe 
rumors that the CM is raking it in. I am fully aware that this does not 
translate to a better image for Mr. Bangarappa - and there are people who 
would say that these things would have happened anyway and would probably be
better if some one else was in power. Maybe Karnataka itself is performing
better. Whatever the reason, I am not complaining( and very few are judging
from the comments in the newspapers). The CM might be corrupt but if the 
rest of the state is doing well, who cares. 

The biggest complaints are about his handling of the township next to 
the TG Halli reservoir. The CM might have ( or should I say does) a cut
or the so-called 5% from this deal. The state govt has taken this case
all the way to the Supreme court - a ridiculous decision. There are more-
regarding the granting of quarrying licences  and liqour trade to members
of his own caste. I am sure the CM made a lot of money on these dealings. 
No state govt can clear 195 applications in one night ! and still claim to
be clean !! Once again, these projects provide employment and have a 
positive effect on rural incomes. ( I bet the state bureaucracy would
have taken months to process it and would have gobbled up the money 
instead !).                                   


I looked it up again - there are complaints about some parks being 
converted into playgrounds. There are plenty of complaints also about 
the language policy in schools ( they are trying to force Kannada as usual).
Incidentally most of the complaints came from Kannada parents and goes
to show how foolish the state govt decision was. 

I had posted an article about  some snippets in the Kannada net - I'll
post that out also. 

Sanjay 

  


Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian