BENGALURU: Even before the new government has fully settled down to business, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa put new Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and the party in a tight spot by his controversial statement and objectionable remarks against opposition Congress leaders.
After courting controversy with his aggressive remarks on Sunday that if someone attacked BJP workers, they would face the same stick in double measure, the minister on Tuesday drew the Opposition ire again for doing an encore with an offensive retort quite unbecoming of a minister.
On a response to the media citing some Congress leaders’ ‘joker’ jibe at him, a rather upset Eshwarappa referred to his opposition colleagues as ‘sons of prostitutes’. Political rivals hitting each other below the belt is not new in state politics, but this was a new low.
Upon realising he had crossed the Lakshman Rekha in public discourse, the minister withdrew his comment and requested the media not to play it up.
However, Chief Minister Bommai, apparently not knowing about Eshwarappa’s follow-up comments, initially went on to defend his minister’s aggressiveness. “It is not a provocative statement,” Bommai said, responding to a question if action would be taken against the minister for his remarks during a party workers’ meeting at Shivamogga on Sunday.
“It is true that violence is not an answer to violence, but Eshwarappa was giving expression to his pain as party workers were murdered in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Karwar and Sirsi,” the CM said. But with the opposition Congress seething with anger over Eshwarappa’s Tuesday offensive, which came in addition to his Sunday remarks, Eshwarappa was made to retract.
Taking umbrage, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said the BJP leader “lacked culture”. “Those with civility would not use such derogatory words in public life! What administration can anyone expect from such people,” he said, adding that people in public should be ready to accept healthy criticism. He didn’t, however, elaborate how calling a minister ‘joker’ came under civil criticism.
KPCC president DK Shivakumar and senior Congress leader and MLC BK Hariprasad also hit out at Eshwarappa. “The entire State is watching him. He had taken an oath that he will not hate anyone and take everyone along. He has failed to honour that and stooped to such low levels. Congressmen in this State will answer him at the right time and place,” Shivakumar urged the new chief minister to take a befitting step against Eshwarappa’s no-holds-barred remarks.
State Congress working president Ramalinga Reddy too added that BJP should take action against Eshwarappa for hurling “abusive language”, and even demanded a first information report (FIR) be filed against the minister for hurting sentiments.