Bengaluru, Jan 14 Minister Priyank Kharge, commenting on charges of harassment and a letter to the President of India 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 occurred during previous BJP government in the state.
Speaking to the media in this regard on Tuesday, Minister Kharge stated he can't be held accountable for the scam that has taken place during the tenure of former minister and BJP MLA C. N. Ashwath Narayan. Let them submit their complaint to the Justice Nagamohan Das Commission. The government will conduct an investigation, he maintained.
The previous BJP government had taken loans indiscriminately and the Congress government is repaying those loans, Minister Kharge stated.
"Do you seriously expect our government to clear payments to vendors who were involved in irregularities during the BJP's tenure? Had the Accountant General’s audit findings, which flagged over Rs 300 crore worth of misappropriations by KEONICS under the BJP government been forgotten?" Minister Kharge questioned.
"Instead of questioning me, why not direct questions to the then IT Minister Ashwath Narayan? I am sure they would have all the answers," Kharge stated.
Payments to vendors who have not been involved in any malpractice will be processed based on the recommendations of the fact-finding committee, he stated.
Vendors associated with the government-owned Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS) have written to the President of India, 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.
"We are harassed every day. The lives of KEONICS vendors have been destroyed. The 6,000 families dependent on us have been driven to the streets. In light of this, we humbly request permission for mercy killing," stated Vasanth Bangera and other association members in their submission.
KEONICS, which has been operational in the state for 48 years, has registered 450 to 500 small industrialists as vendors to provide various services to the government.
Bangera noted that successive governments maintained a cordial relationship with KEONICS. However, he alleged that the situation changed after the Congress government came to power in 2023 and for the past three to four months, vendors have been pleading with authorities to clear their payments, but their efforts have yielded no results.
The association claimed that the former CEO demanded a 12 per cent commission, and when vendors refused, their bills were withheld. Despite staging protests, no resolution was reached.
The letter further alleged that Minister Kharge has taken the matter personally, withholding payments under the pretext of enquiries, even though vendors have completed their work and the government departments have already released funds to KEONICS.
Many vendors, who took loans to finance their operations, are now in financial distress and contemplating suicide due to the pressure.
The letter mentioned that repeated appeals to Minister Kharge, MLA Bachegowda, the Chief Minister, the Governor, and other authorities have been ignored.
"Everything appears deliberate. New rules have been framed to ensure that none of the 450 to 500 vendors retain their status, favouring large companies instead. This has forced 6,000 families out of their livelihoods," the letter alleged.
In their appeal to the President, the association urged immediate intervention and requested directions for the state government to release their dues within a week to save their lives.
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