Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE AFFIDAVIT OF LIES S.G.RAVINDRA OF BANGALORE DOORDARSHAN MAKES HEADLINES

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

THE AFFIDAVIT OF LIES! 

S.G.RAVINDRA OF BANGALORE DOORDARSHAN MAKES HEADLINES 

 S.G. Raveendra, the Director (News) in Bangalore Doordarshana Kendra wears the facade of honest official, for public consumption. But, his procurement of a highly valuable ‘Stray Site’ from BDA by giving false affidavit proves him otherwise. 

S.G. Raveendra started his Bangalore Doordarshan duty as Joint (News) and now is the Director (News). Shockingly, he has procured a highly valuable ‘stray’ site from BDA by submitting false affidavit to the BDA. One can imagine his clout by the fact that a 40x60ft stray site in HSR Layout 6th Sector was allotted by the then Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa under G category. This site is worth more than two crores and Raveendra got it by paying few lakhs to the BDA.

BDA RULES! 

 According to the BDA allotment rules, to get BDA site allotted, one should not own any site/house in Bangalore Metropolitan area either in his or his family member’s name. The applicant has to submit an affidavit to this effect by swearing the affidavit before the competent authority claiming that neither he nor his family members own site/house/lands in Bangalore Metropolitan area. This affidavit should be submitted along with the application for allotment as and when BDA calls for applications. This is the set rule. As Raveendra was allotted a site by the Chief Minister one can say that the applicant need not have to submit the application after BDA calls for the same. Moreover, the site allotted to him is a stray site in the fully developed HSR Layout, and as such, there is no need for the application itself, except a written petition of the CM. But still, the allottee has to submit the affidavit and it is only after this affidavit that the BDA makes the allotment. 

 THE SUBMISSION! 

 Raveendra of course submitted an affidavit to the BDA on 24.5.2010 sworn before the Notary. In this affidavit, he had sworn that (a) he is living separately in BDA limits in Bangalore since 15 years (b) that neither he nor his wife or dependent children own any site or house in Bangalore(c) neither he nor his wife or dependent children have been allotted site/house by BDA or any other authority or Housing Co-operative Societies. 

 The above are the gist and essence of Raveendra’s affidavit, on the basis of which, the BDA allotted a 40x60ft site under the Chief Minister’s discretionary quota. Later Raveendra got the site registered in his name in January 2011. As on now, he is the pride owner of a big site in posh locality of HSR Layout. 

 WHITE LIES! 

 On the face of it, Raveendra has submitted a false affidavit. Take the first point that he was living separately in Bangalore since 15 years. The fact is that he is residing in his father’s house in RT Nagar. Even now, he is still residing in the same house (No.406, 1st Cross, I Block, RT Nagar). He is living in a joint family and this house is in his father S.L.Gangadharappa’s name. Now, the property is being transferred to Raveendra and his brother’s name. So, his sworn affidavit about his living separately is a white lie! 

 Then he swears about himself, his wife or his dependent children not owning any site/house in Bangalore, and that is indeed a “snow white” lie. The family owns many properties in Bangalore. In fact, both Raveendra and his brother S.G.Deepak have purchased 5 acres 12 Guntas of lands in Madanayakanahalli near Widia in 1994 itself. At the time of registration also, they have shown their residential address as 406, I Cross I Block RT Nagar. It is another matter that the same address is also shown in the BDA allottment in 2011. 

 Forget about it. After purchasing the lands in Madanayakanahalli, Raveendra obtained GPA from his brother S.G.Deepak to form the layout, sell sites etc. He then formed an illegal layout and sold a majority of them and made a fortune. This implies that Raveendra did own properties while he was swearing the affidavit to the effect that neither he nor his family members have any site/house in Bangalore. 

Any comments!

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE POLITICAL PUPPET HEADLESS SINCE MONTHS, LOKAYUKTA IS FUTILE IN KARNATAKA

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

 The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

 THE POLITICAL PUPPET! 

THE PUPPET INSTITUTION !   HEADLESS SINCE MONTHS, LOKAYUKTA IS FUTILE IN KARNATAKA 

 The Lokayukta institution in Karnataka has outlived its utility. Except some sound bites and stunts by former Lokayukta Venkatachala and Santosh Hegde, there is nothing much to boast of. The Lokayukta has not done anything positive to fight corruption except raiding and trapping few officials. With the BJP government openly hostile to the previous Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, not much could be achieved. As the Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta are political appointments, controversies are bound to surface. Now that the High Court Division Bench has made it mandatory to appoint Lok/Upa Ayukta with consultation/concurrence of the Chief Justice, one cannot find fault with the government if it does not appoint Lok/Upa Ayukta. Then, it is better to wind up the Lokayukta institution itself and opt for Vigilance Commission.... 

Of late, the Lokayukta institution is losing its credibility. The Lokayukta is appointed among the retired judges of the Supreme Court or Chief Justices of the High Court and the Upa Lokayukta is appointed among the retired judges of the High Court. Both are required to combat corruption among the bureaucracy and politicians in power. For the last 27 years, five Lokayukta have completed their tenure and for the first time, a second Upa Lokayukta was also appointed. The appointment procedure for Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta is similar. It is the Chief Minister who appoints the person after consultation with the Chief Justice, leader of opposition and presiding officers of both houses. Finally it is the choice of the CM that matters. 

 But, what has the Lokayukta achieved in the last 27 years? Justice Koshal was the first Lokayukta who was dubbed by the then Congress leader Nage Gowda as the Hero of the then CM, R. K. Hegde. He was succeeded by Ravindranath Pyne, who simply could do nothing except spending his tenure as leisure. Next was Justice Hakim, who was made the Chief Justice of the High Court for 8 days before his retirement to make him eligible for the post. And immediately after his retirement, he was appointed as the Lokayukta. But, it was Venkatachala, who made big noise about the existence of the Lokayukta. He led the raids on government offices, officials etc. with much fanfare and publicity. 

 During Venkatachala’s tenure, the practice of sending the raided/trapped officials to jail for at least a couple of days before issuing a bail came into practice. Venkatachala also prevented the government in appointing Upa Lokayukta for more than three years and functioned as the Upa Lokayukta himself. But, when the government finally appointed an Upa Lokayukta, Venkatachala had a running feud with him. 

 When Santosh Hegde became the Lokayukta, he too raided big officials and there cries of miscarriage of justice in some cases also. It can be defended by the statement of its SP Madhukar Shetty, who admitted rampant corruption in the institution. Whatever, the most important achievement of Santosh Hegde is his Mining scam report! It is an open secret that the entire BJP government including the then CM B.S.Yeddyurappa was hostile to him. It was on this Mining report that made Yedurappa, an ex-CM. 

 However, before Santosh Hegde’s retirement, Yedurappa who was still the CM, appointed Justice Shivaraj Patil as the Lokayukta with a view to weaken the Lokayukta. But, within 45 days, Shivaraj Patil resigned owing to a site scandal. Yedurappa also created a second Upa Lokayukta and appointed R.Gururajan, but, he also resigned allegedly over a site controversy. 

 After a long vacuum, Sadananda Gowda government, then proposed former Chief Justice Bannurmath to the Lokayukta post, but, the Governor said a firm no. Then, Sadananda appointed Justice Chandrashekaraiah as the Second Upa Lokayukta. And the other day, the High Court quashed the appointment of Chandrashekaraiah as the Upa Lokayukta on the pretext that the government had not consulted the Chief Justice. The High Court had also set guidelines for the appointment of Lok/Upa Lokayukta. As per these guidelines, the Chief Justice has to send a name and the CM has to approve in consultation with the leaders of opposition and Presiding Officers of the legislature. If the name is rejected, the CM has to send a request to the Chief Justice to suggest another name. In reality, the appointment of Lokayukta/Upa Lokayukta has come under the domain of judiciary. And as on now, there is no last word yet, as the final word will have to come from the Supreme Court. 

 Whatsoever, the Lokayukta institution is headless as the government has not filled up the post for the last seven months. The Upa Lokayukta Majage is holding the fort as in charge Lokayukta also. It may be recalled that Majage’s appointment is also challenged in the High Court and the matter is pending for more than a year. The government may not appoint the Lokayukta in the near future as it will wait for the Supreme Court order. 

 As such, people have lost faith in the Lokayukta and the politicians in power are trying to have their own favorites to be in the Lokayukta. So, the Lokayukta has lost its relevance by outliving its utility and it is time, the government winds up the Lokayukta institution. Compared to Lokayukta, the vigilance commission that existed before the Lokayukta formation was doing a commendable job. If the government is sincerely serious on the corruption issue, than, it should rather bring back the Vigilance Commission with additional powers. And that would definitely fit the bill. 

That is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter DRIVING CRAZY NEELAKANTAPPA SQUEEZES THE TAXI DRIVERS AT BIAL

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

DRIVING CRAZY! 

NEELAKANTAPPA SQUEEZES THE TAXI DRIVERS AT BIAL 

 The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation has been exploiting the Taxi drivers cum owners working under them at BIAL. Instead of providing gainful employment to these owners cum drivers, the KSTDC is making crores of money every year by collecting huge security deposit, exorbitant parking fee, call centre fee etc. from them. The KSTDC Taxi services are under the Octopus like grip of Neelakantappa, supervisor outsourced from a security agency who is also the general secretary of the KSTDC Taxi Drivers Welfare Association and Chikkamath, a KSTDC employee working as ATO. If one were to take a close look at the goings, everybody from the KSTDC and the Neelakantappa gang are fleeing the Taxi drivers... 

In our last issue, we had exposed how the KSTDC Taxi services at the Bangalore International Airport are fleeing the Taxi drivers. We dealt in detail about the modus operandi of Neelakantappa gang to exploit the Taxi drivers in making millions in every conceivable means. From the stage of becoming the member of the Neelakantappa owned Welfare Association to the start of the operations, the Taxi drivers are squeezed like lemons. Interestingly, Neelakantappa is working as the Supervisor in KSTDC being brought in from a security agency, on contract. He is drafted by the KSTDC to work as the Supervisor of the Taxi services in BIAL. Interestingly, Neelakantappa had also floated Airport KSTDC Taxi Drivers Welfare Association and has converted it into his personal fiefdom. This is a very peculiar arrangement where the official, who may be on contract, lords over the Association of Taxi drivers and one can very well imagine the ‘Welfare’ of the Taxi drivers at the hands of Neelakantappa. 

 BRIEF INTRODUCTION! 

 Who is Neelakantappa? Neelakantappa was running his Maruti Van Taxi at the old airport. At that time itself, he had cultivated the KSTDC officials and managed brisk business to his taxi. Later his brothers and other relatives were also, brought into the business. The KSTDC officials have thought it fit to get the services of Neelakantappa on contract from a security agency, to manage the BIAL Taxi services. 

 ALL FOR ME ALONE! 

 It is another matter that Neelakantappa is misusing his position to provide very good business to the Taxis owned by himself, his brothers and relatives. Everybody in the KSTDC knows that Neelakantappa is running many taxis and is doing a brisk business. His taxis both naami and benami are showered with more trips than other drivers. Even the call centre which is callous towards other drivers, bend the rule backwards to provide as much pickups to the Airport as possible to these Taxis. Neelakantappa, a mere Taxi driver is now worth crores. One can imagine the misuse of the call centre by Neelakantappa by the fact that he had used the call centre to send messages to all the Taxi drivers to attend the marriage of his daughter. At another occasion, he used the call centre to instruct the Taxi drivers to attend the function where he was given a little known ‘Chiranjivi’ award! 

 MY SHARE PLEASE! 

 Forget about all these. As earlier exposed, Neelakantappa collects Rs.16000/- from the Taxi drivers as membership for the Taxi Drivers Welfare Association! Unless the membership of the Association is obtained, no Taxi driver can dream of operating his cab in BIAL. From here on, it is Neelakantappa’s orders all the way, from purchasing the vehicles to the levy of penalty. For example, Neelakantappa does not allow or permit anybody to purchase the ‘Logan’ car now ‘Verito’ from any of the scores of dealers except the Sirish Agencies owned by one Kupendra Reddy. The Sirish dealer has showrooms in Bommanahalli and Jakkur. It is alleged that Neelakantappa gets hefty commission from the dealer. 

 In fact, Neelakantappa gets commission in everything concerning the vehicle and the driver. From installing GPS/GPRS to the pulse meter to the stickers to the Insurance, he gets his cut. He has fixed shops/dealers to these tasks and the drivers have been left with no other choice but to obey his directions lest he will deny them the trips or stop them from plying the Taxi at the airport by deactivating the access card! Why go far, Neelakantappa directs the Taxi Drivers to stitch their uniforms at a certain Tailoring shop - Ranganatha Tailors in Pattegar Palya near Vijayanagar. Interestingly, this tailor is related to Kantharaj, a KSTDC official! Of course, Neelakantappa’s favourite agency – ‘DG Company’ which supplies GPS and GPRS machines is providing huge kickbacks. For installing GPS, GPRS, the Taxi drivers are charged Rs.22,500/-, while the market rate is not more than Rs.12000! Similarly pulse meters which cost no more than Rs. 5000/- in the market has to be installed by the Taxi drivers by paying Rs.10,500/-! For every recalibration, that is to re-fix the meter whenever the taxi rates are revised, the company charges a cool Rs.500! In all these Neelakantappa makes money merrily. Even in getting the ID card, the Taxi Drivers has to cough up Rs.300/- while the card can be done within Rs.50. Here also, the Taxi drivers have to get it done in a particular shop in Malleswaram! 

 INCOMING ONLY! 

 Neelakantappa’s master stroke was the collection of Rs.150 per month from all the Taxi drivers for providing them Airtel sim cards meant only for incoming calls. This collection was done for a whole year and the scheme offered by Airtel was at Rs.99/-. Then, what happened to the huge money collected, and that too for a whole year? Neelakantappa had promised that the remaining amount will be utilised for Association activities! But, nobody knows the accounts of the Association and there is no way for one to know the where about of this money. 

 THE PUNISHMENT MONEY! 

 There is another money spinner business to Neelakantappa which is in regard to levy of penalty. For example, Neelakantappa charges hefty fines for Taxi drivers even for frivolous reasons. If the driver does not wear socks, the penalty will be Rs.100. If the driver’s shirt is soiled or dirty, the penalty will be Rs.100. If the driver forgets to button the top button of the shirt, the penalty will be Rs.100. If the driver does not pay the monthly parking charges in advance, the penalty will be Rs.100 per day of the delay and the Taxi will be blocked till the driver pays the parking fee along with penalty. 

 Interestingly, the penalty amount will not get official receipts. It is scribbled on a piece of paper or on the back side of the parking receipt! Even the parking receipt does not have the legal sanction as the same is signed by some outsider. Somebody by name ‘Rama’ signs the parking receipt as the authorised signatory! Who is he? He is neither an employee of the KSTDC nor taken on employment to the Taxi services. To be precise, Rama is the son of KSTDC official Kantharaj. 

 CALL CENTRE DONATION! 

 From this month, Neelakantappa has introduced another fraudulent system to collect the call centre charges. All these days, the receipt for call centre charges used to be given in the parking fee receipt. Now, all of a sudden, the call centre charges that is about Rs.2000/- per month per cab is being collected in the name of the Association and that too without specifying the purpose in the receipt. The receipt simply shows donation! 

 WAKE UP! 

 It is high time that the KSTDC officials and the Government authorities wake up to save the taxi drivers from the clutches of Neelakantappa. Else, he will continue to squeeze them for his vested interests. 

That is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE DROUGHT OF ASSISTANCE WORSENING DROUGHT SITUATION IN STATE, NO RELIEF YET

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

THE DROUGHT OF ASSISTANCE! 

 WORSENING DROUGHT SITUATION IN STATE, NO RELIEF YET! 

 The opposition Congress and JD(S) are busy sending their team of leaders to study the drought situation in the state. The former CM B.S.Yeddyurappa has already toured some parts of the drought stricken areas and submitted his report demanding immediate relief. As on now, the Chief Minister Sadananda has to contend with two opposition parties in addition to his own inside opponent Yedurappa. In fact, Yedurappa on the pretext of drought is waging yet another war to become the CM again… 

‘When Rome was burning, Nero was fiddling’ - thus goes a famous saying. The same can be applied to our Karnataka state where more than 50% of the state is reeling under severe drought. It is not that the government had not foreseen the situation as there were drought signs in many parts since three months back. The government declared more than 120 taluks as drought affected and remitted the land revenue. Except this, the government simply sat tight. 

 The state’s drought situation was to be discussed in the state legislature in the budget session commencing from 20th of March. But before the budget session started, the revolt by Yedurappa and his group cast a shadow over the conduct of the budget session itself. Yedurappa had gathered his flock of MLAs and herded them to a luxury resort and threatened to boycott the budget session. Further, as the elections to the Rajya Sabha was to be held simultaneously, Yedurappa set up a rebel candidate. Eventually due to Yedurappa’s revolt, Sadananda lost majority in the Assembly. The presentation of the budget, let alone discussion over the drought situation, was itself in doubt. Finally at last long, the BJP High command successfully averted the crisis. And Sadananda managed to present the budget and there were meaningful discussions over the drought situation in the state. 

But the sad part is that Sadananda could not effectively tackle the drought situation. Had the district in charge ministers camped in their respective districts, it would have helped the government to take up relief works by the district administration effectively. Besides the district-in-charge ministers, there are district in charge secretaries also. These Secretaries who are all senior IAS officers are liable to personally supervise the district administration in their allotted districts. But the fact is that they seldom visit their districts, then, how one can expect the district administration to take up relief works effectively? 

 Incidentally, most of the districts in charge ministers in the drought affected areas are in Yedurappa camp who are fighting for Yedurappa’s return as CM. The prominent district-in-charge ministers like Basavaraj Bommai, Murugesh Nirani, Jagadish Shettar, CM Udasi etc. are busy lobbying for Yedurappa’s comeback as CM. That is why Sadananda has now entrusted the supervision of the relief works to local MLAs, which is the best available option now. Now the Congress and JD(S) are also on a Drought Yatra. The Congress has formed three committees headed by KPCC President Dr.G.Parameswar, Opposition leaders Siddaramaiah and Motamma, the opposition leader in the Council to study the drought situation and submit a report to party. Later, a Congress delegation will meet Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister and Finance Minister to demand liberal grants to the state for drought relief. 

 The JD(S) has gone one step further. It has constituted 26 Teams each headed by a MLA/MLC to extensively tour the drought affected areas and get first hand information. The report of all the teams will be compiled and the JD(S) MPs in the Loksabha along with other MPs will take up the issue in the Parliament, pressing for more funds and for permanent projects to prevent the drought situation in future. The JD(S) has already donated one month salary of its legislators towards drought relief. 

 And the wonder of wonders is that Yedurappa has also undertaken tour of the drought affected areas. His visits to the drought areas resemble the flying visit of a Maharaja. He goes to one or two places accompanied by his loyalist Ministers and MLAs with the official machinery present in full strength. Yedurappa gives them orders, instructions and talks towards relief operations. Interestingly, at one or two occasions, he has even taken Sadananda to task for not doing enough relief works. 

 However, he cut short his drought yatra to rush to Bangalore to meet the BJP’s National Secretary and Karnataka in charge Dharmendra Pradhan, who was on a personal visit to Bangalore. Yedurappa met and discussed his demands with Pradhan for hours together. However, his re-instatement as the CM appears very difficult as Sadananda is doing a good work without giving room to any scams or controversies. 

 Whatsoever, the drought yatra, study tours, promises to the affected people are all irrelevant to the drought affected people. They do not have drinking water and food and the least the government could do is to take up the water supply on a war footing. Then there is the question of food to people and fodder for cattle and other domestic animals. With Sadananda himself supervising the relief operations, one may expect good things in the coming days. But, in general, the Drought cum Politcal Yatras will not do any good to the drought stricken people. 

And that is all.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter BEHIND THE WHEEL OF KSTDC NEELAKANTAPPA DRIVES KSTDC TAXI SERVICES AT BIAL.

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

BEHIND THE WHEEL OF KSTDC!

NEELAKANTAPPA DRIVES KSTDC TAXI SERVICES AT BIAL. 

 The KSTDC Taxi services at Bangalore International Airport has become the personal fiefdom of one Neelakantappa who is the Supervisor and the General Secretary of the KSTDC Taxi Drivers Welfare Association. A mere employee outsourced from an agency by the KSTDC, Neelakantappa is the boss here. The Taxi Drivers/Owners Operating through KSTDC are always at his mercy and the Taxi Drivers Welfare Association has become the hen that lays golden eggs to Neelakantappa. As far as the Association is concerned, it has become Neelakantappa’s private property... 

 The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation is making a big kill from its Taxi services in BIAL. It has procured parking and operating license from the BIAL and being a government undertaking, it has an edge over the other two operators - Easy cabs and Meru Cabs. The Easy Cab and Meru Cabs own the fleet of cars which are leased to the drivers who pay a little over Rs.1000 per day to the operators. These operators have their own way in providing a sort of minimum earnings to the drivers like a minimum of two or three trips and they have invested hundreds of crores as it is a business for them. 

 OUTSOURCING AT BEST! 

 But this is not the case with KSTDC. It does not have a single taxi. It is the Taxi Owners who have to get them registered with the corporation to run the taxis under corporation banner. One has to pay Rs. 30,000/- to the KSTDC as registration fee and security and as on now, the corporation has over 550 Taxis. After the taxi owner registers with KSTDC, he must enroll with the Airport KSTDC Taxi Drivers Welfare Association to be able to start his taxi service. And the membership fee to this association is mind boggling. It is just over Rs. 16,000/-. Then, each taxi owner must pay Rs.7500/- per month as parking charges and about Rs. 2000/- towards the call centre fee! Further, the taxi owner has to spend towards GPRS systems, Receipt Printer, stickering etc. Totally, a taxi owner has to spend almost a lakh before he starts running the taxi. 

 COME TO ME FIRST! 

 It is not easy to get the membership of the Association. Only after Neelakantappa, who interestingly is the supervisor in the KSTDC counter and taxi service, assures membership, one can go ahead purchasing the car and undertake other formalities. Neelakantappa is not an employee of KSTDC and despite of KSTDC having some efficient employees, the supervision of the taxi services is entrusted to him, who is minting millions in Taxi services as well in Association. The cab drivers are literally at his mercy. For registration, one has to approach Neelakantappa through a member close to him. Once this major hurdle is cleared, it will be Neelakantappa’s show all the way. The cab driver will come under the octopus like grip of Neelakantappa and there is no escape route but to follow all his orders without question. 

 THE NEXUS! 

 Interestingly, only Logan car is allowed and it should be purchased from a particular dealer who allegedly has ‘kick back’ relationship with Neelakantappa. Even if other car dealers offer more discounts etc. one cannot purchase the car else he must forget getting KSTDC registration. Then every registered taxi has to exhibit the KSTDC Logo and Telephone numbers of the call centre on the car. Here too, the stickering must be done from a particular shop which charges Rs. 500/-, while it would not cost more than Rs.100-150 in other shops. But, Neelakantappa does not allow the taxi owners to get the stickering done elsewhere and even if they do, he asks them to remove and rework the same at the designated shop! Even the installation of Taxi meters and GPRS have to be done from the designated venues. All these come with a high price tag and there is no alternative. The KSTDC officials who are duty bound to protect the interests of the cab drivers and of KSTDC are hand-in-glove with Neelakantappa. They have given a free hand to Neelakantappa and allegedly the officials who matter are given a ‘cut’ in the booty in addition to various favours from Neelakantappa. 

 HIGH HOPES! 

 After going through all these hurdles, one expects the cab drivers operating under KSTDC (after registering with the KSTDC) to earn a respectable amount. The cab driver has to queue up before the counter established at the airport and pick up their customers. While returning, they can pick up passengers if the KSTDC call centre passes on the information. Once back at Airport, they have to follow the queue system in the KSTDC parking area. 

 A cab driver can make a minimum of two or three trips everyday and earn around Rs. 2 to 3 thousand. Considering the expenses towards parking, call centre, cab maintenance, EMI payment of car loan etc, one expects that a cab driver can earn at least 15 to 20 thousand a month! To earn more, he has to run 24x7 which is very dangerous to his health and safety of the customers too. That is why some cab drivers have employed drivers to make more and more trips. 

 But the hard reality is that the cab drivers cannot expect to work as much they needed. It is because of the involvement of KSTDC Taxi Drivers Welfare Association floated by Neelakantappa. Nobody objects to the cab drivers forming an Association to get their grievances redressed. But here, the Association itself has become a biggest problem for the cab drivers who are enrolled as Members. And the cab drivers are helpless and suffer all sorts of humiliations, insults, loss of business etc. at the hands of the Association head Neelakantappa. 

 FOR THE NAME SAKE! 

 The call centre operated by an agency associated with a senior KSTDC official is only for name sake. It does not provide pick up service to the majority of cab drivers, despite charging Rs.65 per day from them. Here too Neelakantappa rules the roost. It seems that he has a share in the ‘returns’. Only the vehicles deployed in his kith and kins names gets maximum business from this call centre. For all practical purposes the call centre of KSTDC is as good as dead. But still, the cab drivers are made to pay Rs.2000 per month towards the call centre. Interestingly, this call centre which collects more than 10 lakhs per month does not provide ‘pick up’ ‘drop’ business to the cab drivers worth this amount in any given month! As the call centre is a must for getting Taxi service license from the BIAL, the KSTDC has established it only for formality sake and not for bonafide use of the cab drivers. Curiously, many private travel operators who claim to have obtained permission from the KSTDC are providing ‘pick up’ business to the cab drivers who pay Rs.100 per trip to these operators. Very recently, the call centre contract was given to another agency. 

 The hold of Neelakantappa over the KSTDC Taxi service, Welfare Association and the call centre is total. No cab driver can dare to cross the line drawn by him but at their risk and peril. Neelakantappa’s word is the law here. For example, even though KSTDC levies the parking charges at Rs.250 per day, Neelakantappa has decreed that the parking fee for the whole month should be paid in advance and the same is the case with the call centre. Eventually, a cab driver has to pay about Rs. 10,000 in one go before the start of the month. 

 And what is the benefit or the services the cab driver gets in return? The call centre does not provide even a couple of trips in a month. It is monopolised by few of Neelakantappa’s chelas who get a couple of trips every day. In one particular case, a cab owned by one Ratnamma gets 3 to 4 trips everyday from the call centre! In fact, if a cab driver delays payment of advance monthly parking fee, Neelakantappa levies a penalty at the rate of Rs.100 per day of delay. And there is no receipt for this penalty amount! One can easily imagine where does this fine money go? 

 WHAT IS THE LAW? 

 Talking about the association, the association’s letterhead shows that Prabhakara Reddy, a former MLA in the seventies is the President and General Secretary of the association is Neelakantappa. With Prabhakara Reddy being a sleeping President, it is Neelakantappa who calls the shots. He makes and unmakes other office bearers and EC members, without caring for the byelaws or rules governing such associations. There is no general body meeting or even the EC meetings. There is no auditing of accounts for the last three years. Interestingly, nobody knows whether the same is registered under Societies Act or Trade Union Act. Not even the registration number is mentioned in Letterheads or correspondences. As for huge money that is being collected from the members, nobody knows where the money is, if it is still there! Nobody knows the receipt and expenses of the Association. 

 In fact, Neelakantappa has hired a room in the Madhuvan Hotel opposite to Minto Hospital and he operates from this room. The Association does not have an address except the residential address of Neelakantappa. It is a one man show and he has taken sufficient care to pack the office bearers and EC membership from taxi drivers loyal to him. These loyalists are given huge business at the BIAL over and above the other taxi drivers who have to wait for hours to get a trip. Moreover, Neelakantappa has his own taxies and they will be given maximum possible ‘trips’ and even pick customers from the counter itself. 

 THAT IS ALL! 

 As such, Neelakantappa is an outsourced employee in KSTDC, leader of the KSTDC Taxi Drivers Association and the man-in-charge of KSTDC Taxi Operations in BIAL! He is only working on temporary basis for the last so many years. Nobody can come across any such peculiar arrangements anywhere in public undertakings. And KSTDC has created a record for having a ‘superman’ to run its taxi service and also control the Taxi owners/drivers. 

Any comments……

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE FLOP RESORT OF BLACKMAIL YEDURAPPA ACUTELY REVOLTS WITH RESORT POLITICS, BUT FAILS.

By Firoz.T.Totanawala 

The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

THE FLOP RESORT OF BLACKMAIL!  

YEDURAPPA ACUTELY REVOLTS WITH RESORT POLITICS, BUT FAILS. 

The ‘now or never’ battle of BSY to reclaim the CM post has yielded no positive results. The way in which Yedurappa ‘lodged’ his MLAs in a Luxury Resort and the way in which he blackmailed the BJP High Command to become the CM again, have not gone down well with the High Command. In fact Yedurappa’s threat to boycott the Budget session and defeat Sadananda government backfired on him. And he meekly ‘withdrew’ his resort battle.... 

For the last one month, Yedurappa was blowing hot and cold with the BJP High Command, holding his supporters meetings, conventions etc. to prove his strength. Yedurappa was in a mortal hurry to become the CM and his battle was spearheaded by lingayath Ministers like V.Somanna, Bommai, CM Udasi, Jagadish Shettar, Renukacharya, Nirani etc. His Woman Friday Shobha Karandlaje was the Liaison person to hold parleys with High Command leaders particularly those favourable to Yedurappa. 

 And the timing was perfect. The elections to four Rajya Sabha seats were scheduled and the by-election to Udupi - Chickmagalur Loksabha seat was to be held on 18th of March. Most importantly, the Budget Session was to commence from 20th of March and Sadananda, who also holds the Finance portfolio was to present the budget on 21st. Yedurappa had decided to strike at this appropriate time. On 15th March, he returned from his Delhi trip, on the pretext of visit to Vaishnodevi Temple and made a sweeping remark that he will not campaign for the BJP candidate in Udupi - Chikamagalur by-elections. 

 On 18th, in a swift move, he took about 40 of his loyalist MLAs and Ministers to Golden Palm Resort on the outskirts of Bangalore, and lodged them there. Then, he set a 48 hours deadline to the High Command to accept his demands and make him the CM again or threatened to pull down Sadananda government. Yedurappa badly wanted to prevent Sadananda in presenting his maiden budget. The gist and essence of his demands were (1) make him the CM before 19th March (2) allow him to present the budget and (3) if there is a time delay for making him the CM, the High Command should make Jagadish Shettar to present the budget by making him the Finance Minister for the time being. The High Command was taken by surprises over the sudden revolt and tried to persuade him but he stuck to his ground. 

 However, after realising that his deadline may not be met, he became further desperate and took extreme steps. First he fielded B.J. Puttaswamy, a rebel candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections and later boycotted the first day of the Budget session. Yedurappa’s boycott of the Budget session hurt the leaders and cadres of BJP as the obituary was to be placed for the demise of Dr. V.S.Acharya, one of the founding fathers and senior most leader of State BJP. Whatever may be the problems, Yedurappa and his loyals should have attended the obituary reference to Dr. Acharya, as a minimum courtesy and respect. 

 Further, Yedurappa had decided to boycott the budget session itself putting a question mark over the presentation of the budget by Sadananda on 21st. If Yedurappa camp boycotted the budget presentation, there would be constitutional crisis and there was all the possibility of the president’s rule. The threat of boycott of the budget session was the ultimate blackmail. And Yedurappa wanted the High Command to make him the CM, at the most by 19th March! 

 The High Command took strong exception to his tantrums, but promised to consider his demands sympathetically after the budget session. Even though Yedurappa pressed hard his bargain, the High Command said a firm no to him. 

 At the same time, there were some dissents among the Yedurappa camp. Arvind Limbavali, one of the proposers of Puttaswamy’s candidature to the Rajya Sabha elections, withdrew his proposal stating that he was cheated into believing Puttaswamy being the official candidate of the party. Moreover, the High Command too did not take the rebel candidate issue lightly. Fearing legal repercussions, Puttaswamy withdrew the nomination, but the damage had already been done. The state BJP President K.S.Eswarappa suspended Puttaswamy and issued show cause notices to the 10 MLAs who have signed the nomination papers. This had desired effect and in the process, Puttaswamy lost his post. 

 Now, it became clear that in case the High Command takes a tough stand, not many MLAs would remain with Yedurappa. Arun Jaitely, the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha who has a soft corner for Yedurappa was also upset with his open revolt. He reminded Yedurappa that he has to fight corruption cases in future and promised help in case he abandons his revolt. 

 Most importantly, the RSS Boss Bhagawath intervened and directed Nitin Gadkari to take stern measures against Yedurappa and company if they continue their tantrums. And thereafter the Yedurappa camp felt the heat and it became difficult to keep the flock together. The High Command evolved a face saving formula to bail out Yedurappa and promised him a suitable rehabilitation after the budget session. Yedurappa and his few loyalists are invited to Delhi for further talks and discussions. Finally, he called off the revolt and participated in the Budget presentation by Sadananda, much to his chagrin. 

 After the revolt was over, the Yedurappa camp planted stories in the media that he will be reinstated as the CM after 31st. Co-incidentally; the BJP lost the Udupi - Chickmagalur Loksabha seat to Congress candidate Jayaprakash Hegde. This seat was held by Sadananda before he became the CM. In fact, the Yedurappa camp was happy at the BJP loss as they can argue that because Yedurappa did not campaign, the BJP lost. But, it should be remembered that Yedurappa had camped for three days in Bellary for the by-election, yet, the BJP candidate lost the election and his deposit. 

 Whatsoever, Yedurappa’s blackmail politics did not pay any dividends. Whether he will be made the CM or not is an entirely different question. But the way in which he boycotted the Assembly session, abstained from paying homage to Dr.Acharya, put up a rebel candidate for the RSS polls, and the manner in which he tried to prevent budget presentation has not gone well with the BJP and the common man. 

That is all.