Karnataka has descended into 'Jungle Raj' under CM, Deputy CM: BJP leader Ashoka

Bengaluru, Oct 19 (PTI) BJP leader R Ashoka on Sunday alleged that under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, Karnataka has descended into "Jungle Raj" - where arrogance replaces accountability and intimidation replaces governance.

The Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly was targeting the Congress government over Shivakumar's statement on Saturday that the contractors cannot "threaten" the government, while assuring them an audience with the CM to address their concerns about clearing pending dues.

The Karnataka State Contractors Association (KSCA) representatives, who met the Deputy CM, said that the association would go ahead with its planned strike if pending bills worth Rs 33,000 crore are not substantially cleared in the next two months.

KSCA had recently written to Siddaramaiah alleging that commission for clearing payments in several departments under the current Congress government has "doubled" compared with the previous BJP regime.

"Jungle Raj in Karnataka! So now, in Karnataka, protesting for your rights is a threat to the government? When did asking for your rightful dues become threatening to the government?" Ashoka asked.

"Deputy CM D K Shivakumar has the audacity to say that contractors can't threaten the government - when all they are asking for is the release of Rs 33,000 crore in unpaid dues. When contractors are pushed to the brink, forced to strike because the government refuses to pay for completed works - that is not a threat. That is a cry for justice," he said in a post on 'X'.

"But in RahulGandhi's (Congress leader) pocket constitution, it seems citizens have no right to protest, no right to demand their dues, and no right to question corruption," he added.

Ashoka said, under Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, Karnataka has descended into Jungle Raj - where arrogance replaces accountability, and intimidation replaces governance.

"The so-called Karnataka Model has become a model of chaos, corruption, and collapse," he added. PTI KSU KH