BENGALURU: BJP leaders on Wednesday slammed Sugar Minister Shivanand Patil after a video clip of currency notes being showered at a private function attended by him in Telangana went viral on social media.
BJP state general secretary and MLC N Ravi Kumar said there is a need for a detailed probe into the source of the money that was showered at the minister’s programme. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar should give an explanation to the people of the state, he said.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi hit out at the minister. “Congress Minister Shivannand Patil, who had ridiculed farmers saying they commit suicide for just Rs 5 lakhs compensation, has been caught having fun in the shower of money in Hyderabad. The Congress government does not have money for the development of Karnataka, but there is no limit to such acts by its ministers. This is the current situation of the Congress government in Karnataka! #ATMSarkara,” the Union minister stated on X.
BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia said a video of Patil, a minister in the Congress government in Karnataka, is going viral. “In the video, notes are being showered on him. Notably, this corrupt minister has himself accepted that it was his video. Looting public money is the goal of the Congress, and the will to serve the public is not in its DNA,” he said. The BJP has accused the Congress of mobilizing funds for the party’s assembly election campaign in the five states.
Patil rubbished the BJP’s allegations stating that he was only attending a wedding in Hyderabad. Many others, including MLAs and ministers in Telangana, also attended the wedding. If it was their (hosts) culture (to throw money) and how can he stop them? he said.