New twist to Sangha vs exec member battle
The fight between Vokkaligara Sangha directors and one of their oldest executive members, Professor K Malliah, has taken a new twist. After Mallaiah was slapped with a show-cause notice asking him how he made false financial misappropriation charges against powerful directors of Sangha in the media, he took a U-turn and denied speaking in public on this issue.
While speaking to BM, Mallaiah had gone on record that he had raised the issue that an amount of Rs 13.80 crore collected from medical aspirants as donation had not been reflected in the Sangha’s bank accounts. He had also acknowledged that he wrote a detailed letter explaining how the money was collected and how it went missing and presented it before the executive committee of the Sangha. The same letter was used by one of the Sangha’s members to lodge a complaint of misappropriation against the directors with the Lok Ayukta. BM had carried a story ‘Vokkaligara Sangha director alleges devpt fee fund scam’ in it’s edition on April 23.
Reacting to BM’s story, the Sangha issued a show cause notice on Mallaiah asking him why he should not be expelled from the membership for tarnishing their image by making false allegations in the media. The notice issued by Sangha’s General Secretary C N Balakrishna read, “The allegations made by you that a huge amount of Rs.13.80 crore is missing from the Sangha account is totally false. Your allegations that the executive committee has fixed the rates for seats are also false and unfounded. The allegations that the management committee members have collected the amount from the students and have not deposited the amount to Sangha is also false and unfounded. The allegations that the Sangha members have caused loss of crores of amount to Sangha is false and unfounded…. your activities have adversely and prejudicially affected the objects, interests and activities of the Vokkaliga Sangha and hence you are hereby called upon to show cause within seven days from the date of receipt of this notice as to why you should not be expelled /removed from the primary membership of the Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha.”
While speaking to BM, Mallaiah had gone on record that he had raised the issue that an amount of Rs 13.80 crore collected from medical aspirants as donation had not been reflected in the Sangha’s bank accounts. He had also acknowledged that he wrote a detailed letter explaining how the money was collected and how it went missing and presented it before the executive committee of the Sangha. The same letter was used by one of the Sangha’s members to lodge a complaint of misappropriation against the directors with the Lok Ayukta. BM had carried a story ‘Vokkaligara Sangha director alleges devpt fee fund scam’ in it’s edition on April 23.
Reacting to BM’s story, the Sangha issued a show cause notice on Mallaiah asking him why he should not be expelled from the membership for tarnishing their image by making false allegations in the media. The notice issued by Sangha’s General Secretary C N Balakrishna read, “The allegations made by you that a huge amount of Rs.13.80 crore is missing from the Sangha account is totally false. Your allegations that the executive committee has fixed the rates for seats are also false and unfounded. The allegations that the management committee members have collected the amount from the students and have not deposited the amount to Sangha is also false and unfounded. The allegations that the Sangha members have caused loss of crores of amount to Sangha is false and unfounded…. your activities have adversely and prejudicially affected the objects, interests and activities of the Vokkaliga Sangha and hence you are hereby called upon to show cause within seven days from the date of receipt of this notice as to why you should not be expelled /removed from the primary membership of the Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha.”
In his reply, Mallaiah demanded that the Sangha withdraw the show cause notice issued against him by stating that he never spoke to media and leaked any details about Sangha or his letter which he addressed to the executive committee. With Mallaiah taking a U-turn on reports, Sangha president Appaji Gowda issued a press note on Thursday and stated that neither he nor anybody in the Sangha had mishandled money. “I need to commend Mallaiah for his innovation in projecting an honest and committed person as an accused. I had great respect for him and always thought he is a guiding force to his followers, However, he turned out to be a rebel who spread false news,’’ Appaji Gowda said. The figures Mallaiah had given in his letter are imaginary, he added.
