Bengaluru, Feb 23 (IANS) Targeting the Congress-led government for allegedly encouraging the tanker mafia by showing no interest in repairing borewells, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka on Monday said the state administration was backing the water tanker mafia in Bengaluru.
Speaking in Bengaluru on Monday, Ashoka stated, “No better example is needed than this to show how Congress-led Karnataka has joined hands with the tanker mafia. To benefit the tanker mafia, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah government is showing no interest in repairing borewells.”
By failing to undertake borewell repairs and pushing people into hardship — especially by creating such distress over water — the Congress government has stooped to the shameful level of making money off the suffering of the public, he stated.
“Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, you have alleged in the national media that 50 per cent of Bengaluru’s people are dishonest and do not follow the law. First, ask your own conscience how honest you are. Why have borewells not been repaired for the past two years? How much commission is being received from the tanker mafia for this? What is the share of the Congress party high command in this?” Ashoka questioned.
It may be noted that as summer sets in, the water demand has been rising in parts of Bengaluru, and many residents have expressed their displeasure with the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). According to official data, there are 15,761 public borewells, and more than four lakh borewells are owned by private parties.
Targeting state government over handling of finances, Ashoka stated that several corporations “do not have even a penny in funding”, and some corporations have been given nothing more than token amounts.
“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who chants ‘AHINDA’ whenever his chair is under threat, has achieved nothing in the past three years except starving development corporations meant for Scheduled Castes and backward communities of funds,” Ashoka said.
“Respected CM Siddaramaiah, is this your idea of social justice? Is this the concern you claim to have for the poor, Scheduled Castes and backward communities? The people will teach a fitting lesson in the coming days to Congress-led Karnataka, which came to power in the name of AHINDA after betraying the trust of the people,” Ashoka criticised.
–IANS
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