BJP pushing Parrikar to work despite illness: Goa Congress
Panaji, June 22: Lashing out at the BJP for pushing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to return to office despite his illness, a top Goa Congress leader on Friday said it was a "suicidal move" for Parrikar.
State Congress President Girish Chodankar also said that the administration in Goa had become sick because of Parrikar's prolonged illness.
He said the Bharatiya Janata Party was forcing work on the ailing Chief Minister, who recently returned from a nearly three-month-long treatment for pancreatic cancer in the US.
"The Congress party and those close to Parrikar feel that it is a suicidal. He is ruining his health and it amounts to suicide. Is his party forcing him to do it? The BJP is being irresponsible with Parrikar's health," Chodankar said.
"Is BJP forcing him to work and creating a new genre of sympathy politics in Goa?" Chodankar asked, adding that the Congress was worried about Parrikar and advised him to focus on his health and assume charge when he is fit.
He said Parrikar had advised that those who have a cold should not come close to him. "This indicates that not all is well with him and there is still a medical restriction on him."
Parrikar returned to Goa and assumed charge as Chief Minister on June 14, after undergoing treatment at a New York hospital for advanced pancreatic cancer. He was earlier also hospitalised in Mumbai and Goa in February.
Chodankar said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi could temporarily divest Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's portfolio and hand it over to another minister while Jaitley was undergoing a medical procedure, why should the Goa Chief Minister suffer who is not fully fit yet.
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Shivakumar assures contractors to solve their issues
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday assured the KSCA that he and Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi would facilitate a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to resolve their issues.
Addressing members of the Karnataka State Contractors' Association (KSCA) who are protesting at Freedom Park in Bengaluru demanding the release of pending bills, Shivakumar said, "I and Jarkiholi will together arrange a meeting of contractors with the Chief Minister during this legislative session. We must all come together to find a solution to your problems."
He concurred with the contractors that they are also helping the state.
"We are aware that you brought our government to power. It is not our intention to withhold the payment. I have been watching your president Manjunath, who gives different sets of statements to the media once every three months.
"You should all get him a seat in the Legislative Assembly or the Legislative Council. Just as representation is given in the Council to teachers, graduates, and those from the cinema and arts sectors, a seat must be given to contractors as well. That could help resolve your problems. A way must be found for this," he said.
Shivakumar said there are pending bills of around Rs 13,000 crore in the water resource department and Bengaluru Municipal Corporation, while there are Rs 3,000 crore in the minor Irrigation department, totalling to Rs 16,000 crore.
"We know your pain. Six months before the elections, I had warned you not to take up any contract work in departments where there is no money. The then BJP Chief Ministers B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai kept awarding contracts whether or not there were funds. You took up that work and now you are suffering. This needs to be resolved," the Deputy CM said.
He said there was a need to find bonds worth around Rs 50,000 crore. Only then will this problem be solved.
