Srinagar, Aug 28: The Contractors’ Association Bandipora on Friday condemned a statement allegedly made by Bandipora MLA Nizam-ud-Din Bhat against contractors and demanded a public apology from the legislator.
Addressing the media, Contractors’ Association Bandipora president Naseer Ahmad Mir said the association was taking strong exception to remarks made by the MLA in a viral video circulated on social media.
According to the association, the MLA had stated that if contractors were investigated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), “nobody would be spared from going to jail.”
Mir said the remarks had hurt the sentiments of contractors and amounted to casting aspersions on the entire contracting community.
“We condemn the statement and demand an apology from the MLA. If the representative has evidence against any particular contractor, action should be taken against that individual in accordance with the law,” Mir said.
He said contractors should not be collectively portrayed as corrupt without evidence and urged the MLA to clarify his remarks.
Mir warned that the association would be compelled to launch protests if the MLA failed to apologise.
“If our demand is not addressed and an apology is not made, the contractors will come on the roads and protest,” he said.
The association maintained that it supported action against any contractor found guilty of wrongdoing, but opposed what it described as generalised and disparaging remarks against the contracting community.
