K'taka: BJP seeks Assembly Speaker's resignation, seeks judicial probe over smart lock corruption row

Bengaluru, Oct 30 (IANS) The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday demanded the resignation of Legislative Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader and called for a judicial inquiry into alleged corruption in the installation of smart locks at the Legislators’ Home in Bengaluru.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, BJP MLA and State SC Morcha President Cement Manjunath alleged that “a major corruption scandal” had occurred in the procurement and installation of smart door locks under the supervision of the Speaker’s office. “This matter must be investigated through a judicial inquiry, and Speaker U.T. Khader should immediately step down,” Manjunath said.

He claimed that Khader’s office had installed smart locks in 224 rooms of the Legislators’ Home, despite no formal requests from the MLAs. “The locks were installed unnecessarily, and there is a huge discrepancy between the actual market cost and the billed price,” he alleged.

Manjunath said that while the price of a high-quality smart lock in the market is around Rs 11,744, the billed rate was Rs 49,300 per unit. “At the billed rate for one lock, three could have been purchased,” he said, producing documents showing comparative market rates.

“The tender process was not conducted properly. The contract was deliberately awarded to associates from the Speaker’s district, inflating the cost by nearly Rs 37,500 per unit,” he claimed.

He alleged that the procurement was an act of financial mismanagement and misuse of public money. “Even though we did not request smart locks, they were installed, and the billed amount is highly inflated. The market rate is Rs 8,100, but the bill shows Rs 35,000. This is clear corruption by the Speaker’s office,” he said.

Manjunath demanded that the Speaker clarify the alleged irregularities involving lakhs of rupees and reiterated the demand for a judicial inquiry. “The Speaker must explain to the people of Karnataka how these inflated bills were approved,” he said, adding that further steps would be taken after Khader’s clarification.

He also claimed that additional unnecessary expenditures had been incurred within the Assembly premises. Displaying one of the installed locks at the press meet, he said: “They claimed the locks used lithium batteries, but in reality, they installed ordinary battery-operated ones.”

Manjunath further remarked that public suspicion warranted a proper explanation. “Whenever doubts arise in the public domain, those in positions of power must respond transparently,” he said. He added that the rates he cited included GST and urged the Speaker to verify the market prices himself.

Former Speaker and BJP MP Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, he said, would soon submit a formal complaint to the Governor regarding the alleged corruption, while the party leadership would decide the next course of action.

State SC Morcha General Secretary Mahendra Koutal, who also addressed the media, took aim at Minister Priyank Kharge, accusing him of supporting the Bhim Army -- an organisation he alleged was attempting to obstruct an RSS foot march in Chittapur. “The Bhim Army is maligning the name of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. It has no genuine representation from the Dalit or Scheduled Tribe communities,” Koutal said.

He further alleged that individuals linked to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) had been involved in protests in Bengaluru and were active in Chittapur as well. “Priyank Kharge should rename the Bhim Army as the Minority Army or name it after religious leaders,” he quipped.

MLA Chandru Lamani and State SC Morcha Office Secretary Prashanth Kumar were also present at the press conference.

--IANS

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