Siddaramaiah responsible for closure of bars on NHs in city: Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru, Jul 6: JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday held Chief Minster Siddaramaiah responsible for the closure of bars along national highways within Bengaluru city.

The Supreme Court order on the closure of bars came in December last year. The chief minister, who also holds the Excise portfolio, was, however, in a deep slumber for six months. He held the first meeting with the owners of liquor shops and officials only on Tuesday. Revenue loss to the state exchequer due to the closure of bars is estimated at Rs 5,000 crore per annum, if the bars remain closed permanently, he told reporters. The JD(S) leader was speaking after meeting the party workers at JP Bhavan here.

The government has already announced farm loan waiver. “How will it mobilise resources to implement the loan waiver if the bars are closed permanently? Is this the way to run the government? He (chief minister) is only issuing irresponsible statements against Opposition parties,” the former chief minister said.

Kumaraswamy also accused the ruling party of mobilising funds for the next Assembly elections. “We have come to know that the government is meddling with the preparation of 2031 master plan of Bengaluru.

Permission is being given recklessly for change of land use around Bengaluru. The chief minister is letting down the interest of the state, he charged.

Probe sought

Kumaraswamy demanded that the state government should order a probe into irregularities in the Energy department, especially in bidding for solar power generating units and power purchase. Though a legislature committee has been set up to look into irregularities in the department in the past 10 years, it is unlikely to bring out the truth, he added.

The total debt accumulated by the five electricity supply companies because of purchase of power is Rs 16,000 crore, he said.

‘CM under illusion’

Kumaraswamy said performance of the JD(S) in the byelections to various wards of urban local bodies has proved that the party is a force to reckon with in the state. The ruling party has lost badly. “The Congress candidate in a Mysuru City Corporation ward has lost his deposit in the bypoll. Still, chief minister thinks that the Congress will come back to power in the next Assembly elections. This clearly shows that the chief minister is under illusion,” he added.