BENGALURU: As the Opposition leaders’ meeting got underway in Bengaluru on Tuesday, JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy criticised the Congress for deputing IAS officers to welcome visiting political leaders on Monday.
Taking to Twitter, he said the Congress had “performed the last rites for pride, heritage and esteem of Karnataka” for the sake of power. In another tweet, he stated, “This is neither a state government programme nor the swearing-in ceremony of the new government. It is only a political meeting...” He said IAS officers “play a crucial role in the state’s development. Deputing these officials as doorkeepers to serve politicians reflects the height of the arrogance of the ruling party”. He also wanted the Chief Secretary to answer.
Responding to him, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that chief ministers of various states and former Union ministers who had arrived in Bengaluru are considered state guests and according to protocol, officials are assigned to welcome visiting dignitaries. “Chief ministers of various states and former central ministers are guests of the state. This has been the practice since the past. There is no violation of protocol here. The officials were assigned only to welcome dignitaries and they were not used for political programmes,” he clarified.
Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said, “I will not reply to Kumaraswamy’s criticism... Some of the dignitaries have been welcomed by me and some ministers. Other leaders have been welcomed by the authorities. This has been a tradition and practice for decades.’’ He said Kumaraswamy was waiting for an invitation from the NDA. “They need content to be in the news. Good luck to them.” An AICC leader told The New Indian Express that even at the meeting in Patna, officers had welcomed participating dignitaries, as per protocol.