MLA Buys 13 Honda CB350 Bikes For Police Force Using MLA Fund: Comes Under Fire!
Generally, when we think of an MLA spending the funds provided to him by the government, we think of him spending it on important things such as road development, infrastructure development, and others. However, recently a video has gone viral on the internet in which an MLA from Karnataka has spent Rs 25 lakh on buying 13 Honda CB350 motorcycles for the police force in Belgaum, Karnataka. This has sparked a public debate about the misuse of public funds.
MLA buys 13 Honda CB350 motorcycles
This video showing the Belgaum North MLA flagging off the new Honda CB350 bikes with police has been shared on X by All About Belgaum on their page. In this short video, we can see the 13 Honda CB350 motorcycles, all finished in black color, parked next to each other. There were 13 police officers who were standing behind these bikes wearing helmets.
In the video, Asif Sait, Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly who represents Belgaum North, was seen flagging off the bikes. He was also seen riding one of these bikes along with other police officers on the remaining bikes. He was also seen cutting a ribbon just before the flagging-off ceremony.
Waste of public funds?
As per the reports, Belgaum North MLA Asif Sait placed the order for these 13 Honda CB350 motorcycles using his MLA Local Area Development Fund at a total cost of Rs 25 lakh. As a result of this, many people have been criticizing the decision of Sait, as spending Rs 25 lakh on bikes will not help the normal citizens of the area.
Netizens have highlighted that the police officers could have been provided with less expensive motorcycles which could have done the job. They added that this amount could have been easily used for the development of government schools, public roads, and other infrastructure which would have helped the citizens more.
Honda CB350
The Honda CB350 is a very popular 350cc motorcycle that competes directly with the likes of the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and Classic 350. It starts at Rs 2.15 lakh for the DLX variant, and the DLX Pro variant is priced at Rs 2.18 lakh (ex-showroom prices). The CB350 comes in Mat Axis Grey, Mat Dune Brown, Rebel Red Metallic, Pearl Igneous Black, and Pearl Deep Ground Grey colors.
Powering the Honda CB350 is a 348.66cc BS6 engine. It is capable of producing 20.7 bhp and a torque of 29.4 Nm. This bike gets front and rear disc brakes and an anti-locking braking system. Other highlights include all-LED lighting, Honda Smartphone Voice Control system, Honda Selectable Torque Control, and an emergency stop signal.
Punjab police added 121 Toyota Hilux to their fleet
Last year in January, Punjab Police formed a new Sadak Surakhya Force (SSF). In addition to it, a total of 121 units of Toyota Hilux for patrolling purposes throughout the state were inducted by the SSF. Each of these Hiluxes is positioned at 30 km intervals across the state, and 1,500 SSF officers have been deployed for the road safety check.
The Toyota Hilux is a very capable off-roader pickup truck. It comes equipped with a 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine as standard, which is the same as the Toyota Fortuner. It is capable of producing a maximum power of 204 PS and a peak torque output of 500 Nm. The Toyota Hilux starts at Rs 30.4 lakh and goes up to Rs 37.90 lakh.