Blackmail tactics won’t work: Shivakumar hits back at contractors over strike threat

Bengaluru: Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, who holds the Bengaluru development portfolio, Wednesday lambasted Karnataka State Contractors Association's decision to strike work, challenging them to follow through on their threat and asserting "blackmail tactics" would not work with his govt. Earlier, this week, the association said they would go ahead with a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on March 5 since the govt failed to respond within a deadline set by the association to release Rs 37,000 crore in pending dues.
"Let them stop work on all projects and we will see," Shivakumar said. "If they want to blackmail us, let them, but the govt will release funds only when available." He accused contractors of going ahead and launching projects awarded by the previous BJP govt without ensuring availability of funds. "Despite knowing there was no money, who asked them to start works?" Shivakumar said. "The previous BJP govt created this problem. It had budget allocations for Rs 10,000 crore but issued work orders worth Rs 30,000 crore and Rs 40,000 crore." He said he has released pending funds from his own department (Bengaluru development) to the extent possible. "We are also compassionate. We will release funds as per the budget. Let us wait for the budget to be over and then we will sit and discuss this issue," he said. Contractors' association president R Manjunath, who announced the deadline last month, said they were hoping the govt would meet them and address their grievances. "But the govt does not seem to be in no mood," he alleged. "Contractors have taken loans and mortgaged properties and jewellery to complete projects, but the govt had not responded to our problems." Manjunath said bills dating back to 2022-23 remain unpaid despite repeated appeals to the chief minister, cabinet ministers, and officials. Double standards Meanwhile, R Ashoka, opposition leader, accused the govt of adopting "double standards" over allegations of bribery. He said the contractors' association's allegation of 80% commission was serious and challenged Congress leaders to file defamation cases if the charges were false. He said ministers should clarify the allegations instead of dismissing them. Ashoka also alleged state tenders were being awarded to contractors from Andhra Pradesh and demanded that works under the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board be allotted to local contractors. He claimed a 21% commission was being charged on garbage-related contracts and accused a "mafia" of causing the garbage crisis.