‘Do whatever you can’: Shivakumar tells BJP over pending contractor bills

Reacting to attacks on him over alleged corruption by BJP's former National General Secretary C.T. Ravi, Shivakumar said that Ravi also needs treatment. “Let us administer good treatment to him.”

Bengaluru: Reacting to BJP’s decision to meet Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and demand a Lokayukta probe in alleged corruption, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday asked the BJP to ‘do whatever they can’.

Former deputy chief minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan had announced that the BJP leaders will meet the Governor over corruption allegations against Shivakumar and press for handing over the case to the Lokayukta for a probe.

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“Ashwath Narayan should be called as Navrangi (chameleon) Narayan. He should be given a doctorate for protecting thieves. He came to Ramnagar and claimed that he will initiate the process of cleaning. What did he clean? He cleaned his party from Ramnagar as district-in-charge minister,” Shivakumar told reporters at his residence in Bengaluru. He was referring to the electoral debacle of the BJP in Ramnagar.

“Ashwath Narayan is still in tension. We haven’t yet looked into what all he has done in Bengaluru city. When the time comes, I will explain in detail what work he has done and whom he is provoking against me,” Shivakumar stated.

“To help genuine contractors we have initiated the probe. We have decided to investigate the matter no matter what. Let him go to any level, approach anyone. Let him play any game or carry out a campaign, I won’t speak about it,” Shivakumar said.

“I stand firm on my stand. We want to expose the culprits of BJP. I know that the contractors worked on a lot of issues under the previous BJP government. Contractors’ Association President D. Kempanna supported the statement that BJP ministers were extorting 40 per cent commission. It becomes the duty of the Congress government to investigate and ascertain whether the works are done or not.”

The Deputy Chief Minister said: “I will speak after Independence Day. I have not allotted a contract to anyone and some of them came to me and asked me to release the bills for the works done during the BJP government. If the work is done, we are bound to clear bills. Why didn’t the BJP clear the bills during their tenure?” Shivakumar asked.

“I will reveal the documents after two days which will shock you. I am feeling sorry for contractors on how they are being misused, and embarrassed, everything has come to my knowledge,” he said.

Reacting to attacks on him over alleged corruption by BJP’s former National General Secretary C.T. Ravi, Shivakumar said that Ravi also needs treatment. “Let us administer good treatment to him.”

He also demanded that Shivakumar should be sacked from the cabinet.

He said that “DKS tax” and “YST” have been imposed on every project in the state. He was referring to the allegations of 15 per cent commission against Shivakumar as ‘DKS tax’ and allegations against CM Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra over kickbacks in transfers as ‘YST’.

He said that these are the clear indicators of corruption and the issue will be taken to the people.

“The government has promised to give corruption free governance but it is mired with corruption. There are a bundle of allegations against the government. We demand the Governor to direct a Lokayukta probe into the allegations of DKS tax,” Narayan said.