Bengaluru: Housing Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan has offered to tender his resignation to the Cabinet, if the allegation of ‘Cash-for-House’ is proven against him. 

Zameer is in the eye of the storm, especially after his own party colleague and Deputy Chairman of Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission and Aland MLA B.R. Patil, dropped a bomb shell, alleging that the housing units are being allotted to those who grease the palms of higher ups in the Ministry.

Addressing a media briefing, Zameer claimed, “I won’t stoop low to make a living out of money swindled from the poor for allotting the house. There is no room for corruption in the Department, but will order for a probe as the charges have been made by the  Congress MLA.”

Stringent action will be taken against the guilty, if any, on the receipt of the report, assured Zameer Ahmed.

“I will speak to B.R. Patil also in this regard. Moreover, Patil has neither mentioned my name nor of the officials, while pressing the charges of corruption. If there is any accurate information about the illegality happening at Gram Panchayat level, I will take action. As I was on foreign tour, I wasn’t able to respond to the charges on time. I have apprised the Chief Minister with relevant information,” he explained.

To clarify further, Zameer said, Gram Panchayats are vested with power to decide on the beneficiaries of housing units and the local body’s say in this matter is the final.

“Another MLA Belur Gopalakrishna, also of our own party, lacks adequate information over the same. Hence he has been demanding my resignation.  Apart from GP recommendations, the beneficiaries recommended by the local MLAs shall also be allotted housing units under Ashraya Housing Scheme and other schemes,” said Zameer.