Bengaluru, Nov 1 Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday hit out at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his remark asking reporters to "speak to Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar" on the issue of potholes in Bengaluru, terming it "the height of irresponsibility".
Speaking to reporters, Kumaraswamy said: “I noticed the CM’s statement... It is highly irresponsible. One begins to wonder who the real Chief Minister is — Siddaramaiah or D.K. Shivakumar. It was Siddaramaiah himself who chaired a meeting and set the deadline for filling potholes. But even after the deadline, the roads remain filled with potholes. This shows how little value officials attach to the CM’s words.”
The former Chief Minister added that Siddaramaiah’s comments reflected his inability to manage the affairs of the state effectively. “He should not be making such statements,” he said.
On speculation over a possible “November revolution” and reports that Shivakumar may take oath as Chief Minister on November 21, Kumaraswamy said: “That is an internal matter of their party. It’s up to them to decide. I would not want to comment on their internal decisions.”
He went on to say that the Congress-led government has two and a half years left in its term but is already “making a mockery” of itself. “The opposition doesn’t even need to speak. Ministers and those in responsible positions are speaking in different voices themselves. Even NDA allies don’t need to criticise them — their own MLAs and ministers are doing it,” he remarked.
Commenting on reports that BBMP staff were dumping garbage in front of houses, Kumaraswamy said: “I saw in the media that BBMP staff were dumping garbage in front of people’s homes. What kind of logic is that? If citizens throw garbage on the streets, bringing that garbage back and dumping it in front of houses — what purpose does it serve? Instead of taking scientific measures to handle waste disposal, the government seems to have started a new ‘innovative’ programme of dumping garbage in front of homes.”
On the proposed tunnel road project, the Union Minister said: “Let’s see when they actually start the work. Will they consult experts before beginning or just start it abruptly? My concern is about Bengaluru’s daily commuter problems. Whether they build a tunnel or an elevated road, that’s for the government to decide. But they should stop playing with the lives of citizens.”
Continuing his criticism of the Congress government, Kumaraswamy said: “In the state and in Bengaluru, people’s properties are being grabbed. Goons and rowdies are being protected while citizens’ hard-earned properties are being looted. This has to stop sooner or later.”
Reacting to BJP leader R. Ashoka’s statement that his party is ready for midterm elections, Kumaraswamy said: “If he says they’re ready, then we too are ready. If elections are announced, we’ll face them. But I don’t want to speculate about midterm polls. The Congress has 136 MLAs; if they can resolve their internal differences, their government will last. If not, it will collapse.”
When asked about the government’s delay in completing the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey, he said: “What do they hope to achieve from this survey? How much of it has actually been done? How many people have participated? They should first focus on identifying the poor across all castes. Every community has poor people. Instead of that, they’re indulging in political surveys.”
He added: “Reports say there are 63,000 vacant teaching posts in the state, and that 94 per cent of teaching positions are vacant in Bengaluru University. When there are such huge vacancies, what’s the point of conducting surveys? This is not a survey for the welfare of the people; it’s a tool for the Congress party’s hidden agenda.”
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