Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy courted a controversy by losing his cool when confronted with agitating workers outside the Yermarus Circuit House on the outskirts of Raichur on Wednesday. At a point, he also asked the employees why they come to him seeking redressal of their problems after voting Narendra Modi to power.
The Chief Minister was about to leave the guest house for Karegudda village in Manvi taluk when he came across the employees who were waiting for him with a list of demands. Their demands included providing jobs to the farmers who lost their land to Yermarus Thermal Power Station (YTPS) project, taking back all the casual workers who were fired from their jobs in YTPS, and payment of pending wages to causal workers employed in Tungabhadra command area.
The Chief Minister initially listened to the employees and assured them he would look into their issues before abruptly ending the interaction with the employees and boarding the bus to leave for Karegudda. Disgruntled employees then began raising slogans against the Chief Minister and blocked his way by sitting in front of his bus in protest.
At his point, Mr. Kumaraswamy addressed the agitating workers and said, “You vote for Modi and then come to me to get your work done ...” Later, in his public address at Karegudda, Mr. Kumaraswamy regretted his impatient reaction and said he would not repeat it.
He also explained why he lost patience. “Despite my clear assurance to address their issues, the employees started raising slogans and blocking the road and I reacted angrily. The media highlighted the incident,” he said, and added that he would not do so in future.
BJP seeks resignation
Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday demanded that Mr. Kumaraswamy resign and also tender an apology to farmers for this episode. In a press release here, BJP State general secretary N. Ravi Kumar took exception to Mr. Kumaraswamy’s remarks and said it was the “height of arrogance and irresponsibility”. He demanded that the Chief Minister step down and also tender a public apology to farmers.
The former Minister Umesh Katti said in Belagavi that Mr. Kumaraswamy was losing control on his language and it was not acceptable.
