Modi worse than Hitler, alleges Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru, Apr 10: Furious over the recent Income Tax (I-T) raids on his partymen and a top I-T official seeking action against him, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has called Prime Minister Narendra Modi "worse than Hitler".
The Janata Dal (United) leader is apparently upset over the recent statewide I-T crackdown on his partymen and others and the state Income Tax Commissioner's letter to the Election Commission (EC) seeking legal action against him and the Congress and JD(S) functionaries who protested against the action outside the I-T department here.
"Modi is a dictator a man worse than Hitler. He is the worst prime minister who brought a bill to confiscate the personal property of individuals," Kumaraswamy told his supporters here on Tuesday night.
Principal Chief I-T Commissioner (Goa-Karnataka region) B R Balakrishnan has written to the state chief electoral officer, seeking action against Kumaraswamy and others for allegedly intimidating I-T officers and obstructing them from discharging their duties during the raids.
He has also demanded that cases be registered against all those who took part in the protests for unlawful assembly, intentional insult, breach of peace, criminal intimidation and threat of injury to public servant under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Kumaraswamy fumed over the I-T official's letter, which also sought action against Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, state minister D K Shivakumar, state Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao and other Congress and JD(S) functionaries who took part in the March 28 protest.
Kumaraswamy had led the protest outside the I-T office on Queen's Road in Bengaluru following the raids, alleging that the Modi government was using central agencies to target the opposition as part of its politics of vendetta.
"Where is Balakrishnan, who sent notices to us?," the chief minister asked, adding that the I-T official sent 300 people to raid the premises of certain contractors from Hassan, Mysuru and Mandya, who belonged to the JD(S).
"He is threatening us. He has written a three-page letter to the EC," he said.
Kumaraswamy sought to know why only the contractors of Mandya, Mysuru and Hassan were targeted.
"Aren't there contractors in other districts? Where else did the I-T officials go? I am not the one who is going to be scared," he said.
Defending those from whom unaccounted cash was found, the chief minister said the money found from the contractors was meant for the routine work of the state government and was supposed to be released in their favour before March 31.
"It was not accumulated for spending in the election," he added.
Kumaraswamy accused Balakrishnan of nurturing ambitions to bag a gubernatorial position post retirement and alleged that hence, he was acting like a BJP agent.
"Will Modi remain tethered to a peg in Delhi? He is out to make Balakrishnan governor in June post his retirement.
"That is the reason why he (Balakrishnan) is working like a BJP agent," he said.
The chief minister alleged that Balakrishnan's letter to the EC was typed at the BJP headquarters.
On the basis of the letter, he said, certain BJP leaders went to the governor seeking prosecution against him.
"I too have documents to prove that money belonging to the people of Karnataka was drawn and deposited in some people's accounts," Kumaraswamy said.
A BJP delegation, led by Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, submitted a memorandum to Governor Vajubhai Vala on Tuesday seeking action against Kumaraswamy for claiming to have prior information about the I-T raids.
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Adani Group emerges lowest bidder for Bengaluru’s 16.75-km tunnel road project
Bengaluru: The Adani Group has become the lowest bidder for both packages of the proposed 16.75-km tunnel road project in Bengaluru, according to sources familiar with the bids opened by Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE).
According to a report published by Deccan Herald on Monday, the government estimated the entire project to cost Rs 17,698 crore, while the Adani Group has quoted Rs 22,267 crore. The ports-to-power conglomerate’s bid is about 24% higher for the first package and 28% higher for the second than the government’s estimates, a gap that could prompt authorities to seek the state Cabinet’s approval on the tenders’ fate.
M Maheshwar Rao, Chief Commissioner of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), who is also the Managing Director of B-SMILE, declined to comment.
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In all, four infrastructure companies had participated in the tenders for the project, which has been proposed under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, with 40% funding from the government and the remaining investment to be raised by the private concessionaire.
During the technical evaluation, the Adani Group and the Hyderabad-based Vishwa Samudra Engineering Ltd qualified for the financial round.
According to the report, Dilip Buildcon was disqualified due to a clause that bars firms linked to collapsed bridges or tunnels, while Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) was rejected because its joint venture (JV) partner did not meet technical requirements.
With only two companies left in the fray, the Adani Group emerged as the lowest bidder, ahead of Vishwa Samudra.
The tunnel project officially named the North–South underground corridor, is part of the Congress government’s ambitious to ease Bengaluru’s traffic congestion by building two major underground roads (totalling 40 km) along with 13 flyovers and elevated corridors.
The project is the brainchild of Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru development minister.
The proposal, however, has faced criticism and political opposition, especially from senior BJP leaders, who object to the alignment that requires acquiring six acres of Lalbagh Botanical Garden, a historic green space.
As per the report, Urban mobility experts have also warned that the tunnel corridor may clash with the alignment of Namma Metro’s Phase 3A, possibly affecting the metro expansion.
