BANGALORE: Even as the controversy over an MP from Andhra Pradesh slapping the manager of a Bank is yet to die down, a Minister from Karnataka is in the news for allegedly slapping a Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) engineer on Saturday.
BBMP assistant engineer (Ward No - 21) Somaraju is lying unconscious in Manipal Hospital after he was allegedly slapped by Housing and Muzrai Minister V Somanna during ward work inspection rounds in the morning.
However, Somanna denied the charges.
“I neither slapped him nor used abusive language. I only asked him about lapses in his duty,’’ Somanna said, wondering if he, as Minister, didn’t have any right to question officers’ negligence.
Somanna, while inspecting ward works in Govindarajanagar, noticed some shoddy work and immediately called Somaraju and questioned him about it. Shocked by the verbal attack on him, Somaraju is said to have collapsed on the spot and was immediately shifted to a local nursing home from where he was later shifted to Manipal Hospital. Doctors says Somaraju’s condition is stable.
The engineer’s relatives, who accused the Minister of slapping the engineer in public, have now decided to complain to the Governor seeking action against the Minister. They are also prepared to file a complaint with the police.
“This was not expected from Somanna, who was close to Somaraju. Somaraju always placed work before personal life.
This is what he gets for his commitment,’’ said Venkatesh, Somaraju’s relative.