Mercy killing plea: Kumaraswamy advises K’taka contractors to stand united; slams minister Kharge

Bengaluru, Jan 15 (IANS) Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday lashed out at Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge over the issue of vendors threatening suicide due to unpaid bills.

Responding sharply to questions from the media in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy said, "Instead of making empty statements, Minister Kharge should first settle the pending bills of Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS) vendors.”

Kumaraswamy expressed anger at the government's delay in paying bills to contractors and vendors, calling it deliberate.

"Everyone knows what’s going on during the tenure of this government. Contractors should boldly demand their due payments. They are not beggars. Many small-scale contractors have pledged family assets to complete projects and are now on the verge of losing everything," he said.

Taking a dig at Kharge's statements, Kumaraswamy said, "Stop making baseless excuses. This government hasn't been able to release the contractors' Letters of Credit (LoCs) to date. Instead of blaming the previous government, settle the pending dues."

"I served as Chief Minister twice and never caused trouble to anyone. My advice to contractors: stay united. If you form factions among yourselves, the government will exploit that division. Understand this clearly. Refuse to work for a year; let them bring contractors from neighbouring states. Let's see who completes the work. Anyway, they aren't awarding projects. You are merely asking for money already owed to you," he remarked.

The Union Minister appealed to vendors and contractors not to lose hope.

"The government owes you your money. Do not resort to suicide. Why apply for euthanasia? You haven't done anything wrong; the government is at fault. Fight against the government boldly. Remember, you are not beggars," he said, encouraging them.

"Work honestly on the projects you take up. Do not think of suicide. Such a mindset is unacceptable. If you’ve done your job right, why should you be afraid? There are many officials and big contractors who have drawn payments without doing any work," he added.

Referring to the alleged 60 per cent commission in contracts, Kumaraswamy said, "The Chief Minister asked me to provide evidence. The interim president of the Contractors' Association has listed the percentages himself. Does the Chief Minister need more proof than this?"

To Minister Priyank Kharge and Keonics leadership, he added, "Take action against those who have committed wrongs. Why punish those who haven’t? Pay the dues of innocent vendors. Think about what should happen to them. If public representatives engage in corrupt practices, action must be taken against them too. How long will it take to investigate and reveal the truth? You are destroying this state."

Criticising the government's inefficiency, Kumaraswamy said, "You claim to deliver on your promises, guarantee schemes, and superior governance. Yet, you are failing in basic tax collection. Tax revenue is Rs 62,424 crore lower than expected. Despite hiking prices of petrol, diesel, electricity, transport, and liquor, you are falling short. Your governance is deteriorating day by day."

Kumaraswamy accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of attempting to "degrade" the Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities using the caste census report. "This is not just about two communities. Siddaramaiah must explain what he has done for marginalised communities during his tenure," he demanded.

He further suggested, "Instead of focusing on how many people belong to a particular caste, focus on how many are poor. The government must shed light on who has benefited from welfare schemes so far and who hasn't."

Earlier, Minister Priyank Kharge, commenting on charges of harassment and a letter to President Droupadi Murmu on mercy killing by vendors associated with the government-owned Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS), clarified that he is not responsible for irregularities that occurred during previous BJP government in the state.

Vendors associated with the government-owned Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS) have written to President Droupadi Murmu, requesting permission for mercy killing.

They allege harassment by Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge, and Congress MLA Sharath Bachegowda, who also serves as the Chairman of KEONICS.

The KEONICS Vendors' Association submitted the letter on Tuesday, claiming that their pending bills have not been cleared for over one-and-a-half years due to alleged personal vendettas.

The association emphasised that 400 to 500 vendors have been severely affected, impacting around 6,000 families.

They warned that if any vendors or their family members commit suicide, the responsibility would lie with Minister Kharge and MLA Bachegowda.

Disclaimer: This story has not been edited by the Sakshi Post team and is auto-generated from syndicated feed.