Excise minister KM Shivalingegowda, who is also in charge of Hassan district
Bengaluru: Excise minister KM Shivalingegowda Wednesday insisted that he had only asked people to “treat govt officials respectfully” and “thank” them after their work is completed and not to pay bribes. Shivalingegowda was accused of promoting bribery and corruption when he told people at a Prajaseva programme in Hassan “it is your dharma to respectfully pay govt officials after they complete your work”. At a news conference in Bengaluru, Shivalingegowda said several farmers had complained during the Prajaseva programme that surveyors were demanding bribes. “I had said that it is our duty to treat officials respectfully and express gratitude after the work is done. This was portrayed as asking people to pay bribes,” he said. When I said ‘show respect’, I did not mean ‘pay a bribe’. He said he faced criticism for his remarks, and opposition parties used them to target the govt. He said: “I did not ask anyone to give money. The minister said he had directed deputy commissioners to investigate allegations of officials demanding bribes and ensure money was returned to those who were forced to pay. The dashboard, to be supervised by the deputy commissioner, will display details of grievances raised by the public, time taken by officials to address them, and status of each complaint, Shivalingegowda said.
“I come from a rural background and speak colloquially. There may have been a difference in perception on the words used. A choice of words should not be blown out of proportion. Meanwhile, Voice of People, an organisation based in Mysuru, filed a complaint against Gowda with the Lokayukta over his remarks. For the first time, a dashboard will be set up in Hassan to monitor the grievance-redressal process.
On Tuesday, a group of advocates filed a complaint with Hassan district Lokayukta police accusing the excise minister of abetting bribery and corruption.