Welcome defamation suit: Contractors’ association

Maqsood Maniyar | NT

Bengaluru

Karnataka Contractors’ Association (KSA) president Kempanna on Friday welcomed Horticulture Minister N Munirathna issuing a legal notice to his organisation, adding that they could defend themselves in court.

However, he insisted that KSA had not issued any defamatory statements. Earlier, Munirathna had sent a legal notice to the organisation, demanding that they withdraw allegations of corruptions against him and apologise within seven days or face a Rs 50 crore defamation lawsuit.

The minister was referring to a press conference where some contractors had referred to wrongdoing on the part of the Kolar district in-charge minister, a responsibility that Muniratna holds.

“He has given us a notice. We have requested him to please put forth the defamation case against us. We are ready to prove it in the court of law. If we are unable to prove the charges, whatever the consequences, we will face them,” he added.

The KSA president remained combative, saying that his association would fire off another letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that they would also stage a protest. “It may take another 10 days. Yesterday (Thursday), our executive committee has authorised us to write a letter. Today and tomorrow is not feasible since it is a Saturday and a Sunday. After Monday, we will go to the office and decide when to send it,” he said.

 Protests on Sept 20?

“We are planning a protest. We are researching whether we can manage it on 20th of September or any other day. Anyhow, we have decided that 15,000 people will descend on Bengaluru. The date will be finalized very soon,” he added.

 “They are permitting protests only in Freedom Park. Plus the session will take place from September 13 to 23. In a three kilometre radius, they may not allow protests when the session is going on. Whether we will get permission or no, we’ll see,” Kempanna said. Freedom Park does fall under a three kilometre radius from Vidhana Soudha. “Tomorrow, we will submit a request to grant permission to protest to the police commissioner,” he added.

 Kempanna remained adamant that the commissions that the contractors paid cumulatively amounted to 40 per cent. “We have to pay 40 per cent commission even before getting the work. Total expenditure, I’ve said comes to 40 per cent. We can give the figures also,” he said.

 The KSA president clarified that he wasn’t attacking the PM over corruption, adding that he was in agreement with Modi proclaiming graft to be “the first enemy of the nation” in his Independence Day speech. He added that he only wanted the PM to follow through on his promises on clean governance. Kempanna alleged that bills amounting to Rs20,000 crore were due to the contractors from the government