Bengaluru, Jan 27 (NationPress) The BJP in Karnataka organized a demonstration in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vidhan Soudha on Tuesday, calling for the resignation of Excise Minister R.B. Thimmapur amid allegations of a Rs 2,500 crore excise scam.

The party claimed that these substantial funds were being funneled to support the Congress party’s electoral campaigns in Kerala, Assam, and Tamil Nadu.

The protest was spearheaded by Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, R. Ashoka, alongside BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra. BJP MLAs and MLCs waved placards demanding Minister Thimmapur's resignation and shouted slogans against the Congress-run government. They made it clear that the protest would persist until the Minister stepped down.

Speaking at the event, R. Ashoka stated, “We are protesting against the plunder occurring in the Excise Department. A fixed monthly bribe has been enforced on all bars and wine shops. They proclaim to follow Mahatma Gandhi, yet they issue between 1,500 to 2,000 new liquor shop licenses across the state. Is this how they honor Mahatma Gandhi?”

“For each license, they have been caught accepting bribes. The amounts range between Rs 2 crore and Rs 2.5 crore. Members of the liquor vendors’ association have raised complaints with Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the President of India,” he alleged.

“Despite numerous complaints lodged with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, no action has been taken. They have been meeting with the Chief Minister for six months without any results, as he is also allegedly benefiting from the corruption. There have been three videos released in the past year showing discussions about bribe amounts and shares for ministers and commissioners,” Ashoka asserted.

“This entire situation feels like a film. The Chief Minister is ignoring it, indicating his involvement. Supporters of the Excise Minister have privately claimed that he only oversees three districts, while others are managed by different individuals,” he continued.

He further noted that during the term of former Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde, a previous government fell due to a similar liquor scam. “There is a plot to embezzle Rs 2,500 crore from Karnataka through corruption, diverting it to Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. The strategy is already in motion, and the Chief Minister is intentionally overlooking it,” Ashoka alleged.

“I have already raised this issue in the Assembly session. We are protesting in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha. This government is distributing liquor at people’s doorsteps in villages. Enormous corruption is occurring, and the minister must resign. If not, we will escalate our protests against the Chief Minister,” he warned.

“In the next phase, we will demand the Chief Minister's resignation,” Ashoka added.

He criticized the Congress for organizing a protest march to the Governor’s residence, stating, “They lack a sense of responsibility. Upholding law and order is their obligation. If the government itself takes to the streets to protest, it reflects how low they can go. This protest seems to be a diversion from public scrutiny. The entire government is entangled in corruption and internal strife, and they are using such protests to distract from that. The Assembly session is merely a tactic to shift focus from their internal conflicts.”