Accusing the BJP of misleading the public by stating that the Opposition was behind the allegations made by Karnataka State Contractors’ Association president D. Kempanna, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said that attempts were being made to break the association instead of addressing the issues of contractors.
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In a statement, Mr. Siddaramaiah the former Chief Minister said that if those who run the government knew law, they would not have accused Mr. Kempanna of such things. “Many, including Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, have been asking why Mr. Kempanna met me. He met me along with a delegation from the association. The association representatives had met the Chief Minister too. The association has now accused that the commission in BBMP for civil works has gone up from 40% to 50%,” he said.
Earlier letter
Pointing out that the contractors’ association has been fighting for their issue since last one year, he said: “If government had taken their letter seriously, the current situation would not have arisen. People have seen the quality of civil works. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Bengaluru, the road done for his visit sank,” he said. Mr. Siddaramaiah accused the government of misleading public by “letting lose goondas” when he went to inspect poor quality civil work in Madikeri that had been covered by tarpaulin.
Asking why the government was not handing over the 40% accusations to judicial inquiry, he said: “Isn’t the contractors’ demand under the Constitutional provisions? In the last three years every demand of the Opposition for judicial inquiry has been rejected.”
Right of contractors
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that the government can take criminal action against the contractors if their allegations are found to be untrue in judicial inquiry. “Are you in a democratic set up or dictatorship to restrict the rights of the contractors to approach me? I have as much right and responsibility as you have.”