Bengaluru: A high-level meeting chaired by Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to tackle the Covid-19 situation, turned into an ugle battleground between Deputy Chief Minister Dr C.N. Ashwathnarayan and Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao Friday.
Ashwathnarayan alleged that Rao had been giving special preference to certain e-commerce companies in handing out curfew passes during the national lockdown while making it difficult for small-time traders to operate.
He further alleged that Rao had been freely issuing the passes to food and grocery delivery companies and received kickbacks from them.
A teary-eyed Rao is said to have defended himself stating that the minister’s allegations were and offered to resign immediately to prove his innocence.
On Wednesday, Rao had held a meeting with online, e-commerce, food, medicine, groceries, fruits, meat and vegetables aggregators after there were several complaints of police atrocities against delivery agents.
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Commissioner walks out of meeting
Sources at the meeting said that a rather emotional police commissioner tried to explain that the allegations were not true but the deputy chief minister insisted that “he knew very well what was happening”. He also instructed Rao that if one service provider has been given permission to operate, then all other others also should be given the same clearance.
The outburst by the Deputy CM, sources said, shocked those present in the meeting, which included cabinet ministers and senior IAS and IPS officers. Chief Minister Yediyurappa, sources said, requested Ashwathnarayan to stop and also tried to pacify Rao. But the city’s top police officer walked out of the meeting.
Speaking to ThePrint, a senior police officer and close associate of the commissioner said the incident has left Rao extremely upset.
“It is not just an insult to his post and the uniform, but one to the 20,000 young officers working tirelessly day and night in the police department during this time of crisis. It was an unfair statement,” the officer said.
The deputy chief minister did not respond to calls from ThePrint. This copy will be updated when he does.
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Politicians should understand the situation where all are working on stretch basis and the cops are doing a great job. Couple of probable over enthusiasm on shutting people out but the people are also not very disciplined . All have to work together and the accusation was unwarranted and probably baseless .
The minister has been wrongly informed and has made as terrible mistake. I believe that the COP now is the best we have seen in recent memory. Between the two I trust the COP 100 times more…
Dear ministers of Karnataka,
The IT folk working from home require computer components to work from home efficiently. A lot of people need stuff to work and it’s just not available anymore for purchase. Please don’t bow down to local traders in this hour of need and let e-commerce work freely.
Without e-commerce the work from home is just going to one to an end even before you know.