K’taka: 31 daily road deaths, BJP urges Priyank Kharge to fix roads

Bengaluru, Feb 25 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Karnataka BJP has called on Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister Priyank Kharge to prioritise road construction and maintenance to reduce fatalities, urging him to set aside other concerns.

The party asserted that poor road conditions are responsible for the deaths of 31 individuals each day in the state.

Legislative Council Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy stated that the state government has consistently failed to fulfil its fundamental responsibilities, citing the lack of new road construction and inadequate repairs to existing roads across Karnataka.

Citing official statistics, Narayanaswamy emphasised that 31 individuals die daily in road accidents in Karnataka, attributing these fatalities to inadequate road conditions. He questioned the government's effectiveness and called on the minister, who frequently discusses Panchayat Raj, to address these concerns.

"Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge should prioritise this issue over other matters. If he fails to deliver, the Chief Minister should request his resignation," Narayanaswamy demanded.

Narayanaswamy alleged that since the Congress government assumed office, certain districts have not seen the construction of even a single kilometre of new road, nor the repair of existing roads. He claimed that thousands of kilometres remain in need of repair, while Minister Priyank Kharge continues to focus on unrelated issues.

According to departmental statistics, the total length of rural roads in Karnataka is 198,657.58 km, yet only 297 km have been newly constructed. Narayanaswamy questioned when the Minister, Priyank Kharge, would address the construction and repair of these roads.

"You have introduced the Shakti scheme despite the poor condition of rural roads. Bus connectivity has been withdrawn from 1,800 villages due to inadequate infrastructure. What is the effectiveness of the Shakti scheme under these circumstances? How can its implementation be justified? How will rural development occur, and where will women board buses if they must travel to towns simply because travel is free?" Narayanaswamy asked.

Narayanaswamy stated that in Minister Kharge’s constituency of Chittapur, which contains 564 rural roads, no new roads have been constructed. He questioned the allocation and utilisation of funds, noting that Rs 5,000 crore is managed by the Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board, and asked for clarification on its expenditure.

Narayanaswamy questioned Minister Kharge’s capability to lead the department, suggesting that if he is unable to fulfil his responsibilities, he should resign and allow others to assume the role. He further asserted that those unable to perform their duties often make irresponsible statements.

​"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is this minister (Priyank Kharge) your choice? Why are you not making him work? If he does not work, you are responsible. You have the authority to question him. You are doing an injustice to rural people. Where has the money gone? Answer the people. Take his resignation and appoint someone else, he urged.

In response to a journalist’s inquiry about the use of Urdu in a Health Department invitation, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy stated that it is a personal matter for Dinesh Gundu Rao. He questioned the government's official language policy and alleged that Rao lacks the resolve to make Kannada mandatory.

Addressing protests over employment demands in Dharwad, Narayanaswamy claimed that hundreds of thousands of government positions remain vacant. He questioned the administration's legitimacy and alleged that, despite claims of insufficient funds, there is no shortage of resources for corruption.

Source: IANS