Bengaluru, Feb 19 (NationPress) The Karnataka branch of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday vehemently criticized the Congress government due to the ongoing protests by employees of the Transport Department and the escalating garbage management crisis in Bengaluru, accusing the government of financial mismanagement and administrative incompetence.

During a media briefing in Bengaluru, R. Ashoka, the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, highlighted the unrest among state-run transport corporation workers, stating that since the Congress administration took over, none of the departments have received adequate funding.

He claimed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy have indefinitely delayed addressing the demands of transport employees.

"The government treasury is empty. RTC workers are on strike, demanding the release of 38 months of outstanding salaries. Their rightful demands should have been met by now. This delay signifies the government's failure," he asserted.

Ashoka maintained that if the government had available funds, it could have settled the dues either in full or in phases.

He accused the administration of only acting after the employees initiated protests, alleging that they are now only preparing to settle 26 months of dues instead of the full 38 months requested. He mentioned that transport employees have rejected this proposal.

In response to Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy's claim that the previous BJP government had left behind pending liabilities, Ashoka challenged him to disclose the specifics of the obligations inherited in 2018. He also referred to his own term as Transport Minister from 2009 to 2013, urging the government to publicly disclose any dues from that period.

Ashoka further criticized the current administration for transforming a profitable transport organization into a loss-making entity.

He acknowledged that transport corporations worldwide suffered losses during the Covid-19 pandemic due to travel restrictions but deemed the current government's use of that period as an excuse to be unfounded.

Labeling the government’s justifications as "lame excuses," Ashoka asserted that the crisis extends beyond a single department.

He pointed out that the Contractors’ Association is preparing to strike over overdue payments and that excise contractors are also gearing up for protests.

"The government will face repercussions for the mistakes made over the past three years," he emphasized, demanding the immediate fulfillment of RTC employees' demands.

Ashoka also reacted to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's warning that garbage could be dumped in front of BJP leaders' homes if they attempted to obstruct garbage trucks. "Let them dump garbage at our residences; we have no issues. If they can't manage waste, it's their failure," he said.

He maintained that it was not BJP leaders but local residents protesting against garbage dumping. According to him, the government had promised improved civic facilities but has failed to deliver over the past two-and-a-half years. He claimed that during the previous BJP administration, hundreds of crores were allocated for waste management.

Employees from the state's four transport corporations are currently staging a ‘Bengaluru Chalo’ protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru.

The Joint Action Committee is set to hold a press conference at 4 pm today to announce its next steps.

--.IANS

mka/svn