In Karnataka, benign corruption, bigger enemies

Contractors’ allegations of ‘commission’ system has failed to generate a debate on corruption

It was back on July 6, 2021, that the Karnataka State Contractors Association wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the government machinery of extracting kickback of up to 40% for award of government contracts and clearance of bills. They pointed fingers at various layers of the hierarchy, from people’s representatives to bureaucrats. Though B.S. Yediyurappa was in office then, the association made the letter public in November, after Basavaraj Bommai took over, alleging that little had changed. 

Though the Chief Minister had announced two committees headed by retired judges to scrutinise the tender estimates and conditions, there has been little talk on it since. 

Now, three months later, the association has threatened to launch an agitation by the end of April, stating that its grievance has gone unaddressed despite escalating it all the way to the top. But the State Government refused to reply to a question raised on the issue in the just-concluded Budget session, arguing that the allegation has no shred evidence. 

One of the grounds for change of guard in Karnataka, on July 28, 2021, was the repeated allegations of corruption against Mr Yediyurappa and members of his family. The situation had reached such a pass that Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa had lodged a complaint with the Governor on “interference” in his Department by the CMO. Transfer of power to Mr. Bommai was meant to cleanse the system. Coincidence or otherwise, Mr. Yediyurappa stepped down within weeks of the contractors’ letter reaching PMO. But the renewed threat of agitation by the contractors is an indication of the cleansing process not going very far.

Corruption seems to be a “non-issue” in public discourse as Karnataka gets set for elections next year. In what appears to be a conscious change of course, particularly post-Uttar Pradesh results, BJP in Karnataka is stepping on the communal polarisation pedal hard. Even the eye-popping numbers being cited by the contractors — uncleared bills running to several thousand crore — are overshadowed by various communally divisive issues being pushed to the foreground. They range from banning hijab-clad girls from entering classrooms to attempts at introducing Bhagavad Gita in school curriculum. Public cynicism about corruption being a “norm” across parties and in all dispensations has made this effort easier. The mutually beneficial contractor-political class nexus being as old as the hills and the association only protesting the kickbacks going as high as 40% too is not a point missed by anyone.

Though Opposition Congress has every now and then reminded Mr. Modi that his calling the Siddaramaiah-led Government “10 percent sarkar” has now boomeranged and taunted him on the famous “Na khaunga, na khane doonga” slogan, it has not gained the expected traction. While part of the reason could be that the criticism comes from people who themselves can hardly boast of a clean image, more importantly, Congress is most often left reacting to the discourse set by the BJP. Janata Dal(Secular) has steered clear of the issue. Party leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has advised contractors that everything would be set right if they simply stop paying commission.

The “40 percent commission” episode in Karnataka is an indicator of the extent to which corruption is normalised and how easily people’s attention can be diverted from it by pointing to a “bigger enemy”, even when they are aware that the final victims of such a system are themselves.