Karnataka State Contractors’ Affiliation (KSCA) which has accused elected representatives and bureaucrats of demanding ’40 per cent fee’ for awarding contracts and clearing payments, on Wednesday stated they stand by their allegations and requested the federal government to kind an inquiry fee if they’ve ‘guts’.
Demanding that the federal government clear ₹25,000 crore pending payments, they’ve stated, if not cleared by March 31, they are going to halt all of the work. The contractors below the management of the affiliation’s president D Kempanna held a protest right here, demanding that the federal government clear their dues on the earliest. In addition they demanded a probe by a sitting decide of the Karnataka Excessive Courtroom into allegations of bribes or corruption. Earlier this week, the affiliation accused a BJP MLA of taking kickbacks to clear payments, releasing an audio clip as proof. “For about one-and-half years we’ve got been combating on the problem of corruption, nevertheless it was alleged that we’ve got been mendacity and haven’t any paperwork to show. We had cause to not launch paperwork, however amid strain we launched one check case and there are related a number of such instances. Now we have given all paperwork concerning 40 per cent fee to our lawyer and he’ll submit them earlier than the court docket,” Kempanna stated.
Talking to reporters right here, he stated that Contractors’ payments to the tune of ₹25,000 crore are pending for the final three years. Repeated requests have been made to the federal government to debate the problems and to discover a resolution by following a system. “They provide contracts to whomever they need. The Chief Minister (Basavaraj Bommai) doesn’t have a paisa’s worth. The CM had issued some orders, however with out giving any worth to it, contracts are being given to whomsoever they need,” Kempanna stated. “By March 31 if they do not clear our dues, we are going to attempt to halt all of the work. Now we have been informed that dues shall be cleared as a lot as attainable by then. In the event that they clear all of the dues, we shall be pleased,” he added. The affiliation had earlier in July 2021 had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with regard to 40 per cent fee cost. Of their letter to Modi, the affiliation had claimed “harassment” by Ministers, elected representatives and others, accusing them of demanding as much as 30 per cent of the tender quantity for approving a contract, and 5-6 per cent in the direction of launch of ‘Letter of Credit score’ towards pending payments. Stating that the allegations made by them are 100 per cent true and can stand by what they’ve stated and can combat towards corruption, Kempanna stated that their lawyer has requested them to not make any particular assertion on the problem on corruption, and that he would take care of it within the court docket.
“If the federal government has guts let it kind an inquiry fee. If we’re unable to show we are going to do as they are saying,” he added. Karnataka Horticulture Minister Muniratna had filed a legal defamation swimsuit towards Kempanna and some of the affiliation’ office-bearers, following the allegations made by the latter towards him. Kempanna was even arrested in reference to this. Kempanna made it clear, their contractors’ physique would not have affiliation with any party- Congress, BJP or JD(S), and that it was meant just for the welfare of the contractors. Lamenting that the Prime Minister has not acted on their letter alleging corruption, he stated, “Modi shouldn’t be corrupt, however he has allowed others to eat (bask in corruption) in Karnataka.” “Corruption has already been there, however since 2019 there was an irregular improve from 10 to 40 per cent, it has been an excellent concern. For the final one-and-half years, we’ve got been combating corruption, not simply forward of elections as is being alleged,” he stated. Suggesting that there’s unsuitable notion among the many public about contractors, Kempanna stated, they suppose us to be “420s” (cheets) and looters. “How can we do our job proper by paying 40 per cent fee, please perceive our issue.” He stated, the affiliation will maintain protests throughout the State to spotlight their points to the general public and make them conscious of it. “Allow them to do an inquiry. Many of the work is being executed both by MLAs or politicians, their shut aides and other people recognized to them, regardless of them not being certified. That is what we’re combating towards. That is excessive time to boost voice and we are going to combat,” he added.