Priyank Kharge gets tough: Be ready for a kick' if you do not perform

Kalaburagi: Minister for Social Welfare Priyank Kharge on Wednesday warned government officials that he will “kick” them if they failed to perform their duties and tried to hurt his “self respect”.

Presiding over the Karnataka Development Programme meeting here, Mr Priyank sternly told the officials that he will not tolerate any disrespect from officials. “Do you think I’m after kickbacks? Am I here for whiling away my time? I will kick you fellows if you hurt my self-respect. This is a warning to all officials”, Mr Priyank said in a raised voice.

What provoked him to issue the stern warning was the alleged indiscipline shown by the Executive Engineer of Kalaburagi Mahanagar Palike R.P. Jadhav in furnishing the list of works being carried out by KMC.  

Further what irked the Minister was the failure of KMC officials to invite him for some the projects completed and inaugurated by it. “Recently a garden around the statue of Basaveshwar was inaugurated by the Mayor. Did you invite me? As I was not invited, I did not come. But it sent out a message that the District In-charge Minister did not take part in the programme of Basavanna. How many times did you invite me for the programmes when I was Minister for Tourism?. Do you know the protocol? I will not tolerate this kind of politics”, he warned.

On finding that Mr Jadhav has been serving in the same office ie KMC for the last 15 years, Mr Priyank asked the Regional Commissioner Subodh Yadav to immediately relieve  him from the charge as he would get him shunted out to another department. “How he can remain in office for 15 years? These fellows who have managed to camp here for so many years have started
dictating terms and have the audacity not to show us respect. Relieve him right now”, Mr Priyank ordered.

The senior officials also faced a piquant situation as most of them had come to the meeting  “casually” without much preparation. Mr Priyank directed that action be taken against two senior officers of the Karnataka Road Development Corporation for not coming to the meeting “prepared”.

When the Minister wanted to check the dairies of some officials ( it is mandatory for senior officials to maintain a diary of their daily activities such as attending meetings, conducting inspections etc), he was aghast to learn that none of the officer had brought a diary to the meeting.

Earlier Mr Priyank expressed his ire over the “rampant corruption” at the offices of sub-registrar, RTO and Tahasildar in the district. “The DC has to take a serious view of this. Otherwise I will take strong action”, Mr Priyank warned.

Mr Priyank also took the officials of PWD to task for abetting the activities of some contractors who have been blacklisted. “If some contractors are blacklisted, they should not be given any works by the PWD. You prepare a list of those contractors who have been blacklisted and make sure they
are not awarded works in the district”, Mr Priyank directed.