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Paurush Omar

PayCM row: Congress' DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah, Surjewala detained

Congress leaders, DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah, Randeep Singh Surjewala pasting PayCM poster (ANI)

After being detained, Congress leader Siddaramaiah said, "…this ('PayCM' poster protest) will continue in the entire state. This is a campaign by the Congress party against this ‘40% corruption government’."

ANI tweeted the video of the leaders pasting the PayCM poster.

Earlier today during a party review meeting amidst the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress spokesperson Surjewala had said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai "lords over" the most corrupt government in the entire country. "This is a one scam a day government that he (Bommai) heads."

Responding to a question in the meeting, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary KC Venugopal said, "PayCM' is not a campaign created by the Congress party. The party is only taking up genuine issues raised by people of Karnataka, everyone is saying this is the most corrupt government in the state."

The story of ‘PayCM’ poster

Karnataka Congress started a campaign against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai by pasting"PayCM" posters outside the BJP's Nelamangala headquarters on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

PayCM Poster used by Congress for campaign against CM Bommai

The PayCM poster bears a QR with the photograph of the Chief Minister. When scanned, it gets directed to a website - '40% Sarkara' - accusing the Bommai-led BJP government of charging 40 per cent commission on public works. The website was launched a few days ago by Congress.

This comes after a contractors' body had recently alleged that contractors had to pay 40 per cent commission to get public work contracts, an allegation strongly denied by the Karnataka government.

A contractor named Patil had alleged that KS Eshwarappa, erstwhile Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, had demanded a 40 per cent commission in a public project in his area. He killed himself at a hotel in Udupi earlier this year.

Eshwarappa had resigned following the charge. However, later an investigation carried out by the police gave him a clean chit.

Angered by this, CM Basavaraj Bommai ordered an inquiry, and a case was booked to find the people behind the PayCM poster.

Countering the PayCM campaign, the BJP also launched the "Scam-Ramaiah" campaign, which focuses on alleged frauds that occurred in Karnataka under the leadership of former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

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