The former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his reported statement on the suicide of Vittal Arabhavi, who consumed poison during the sugarcane growers’ protest when the State Legislature was in session at Belgaum in November last.
The Chief Minister reportedly said in Napoklu in Kodagu district on Wednesday that the farmer died due to consumption of alcohol and not due to poison.
IntoleranceThe statement of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G. Parameshwara on the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and the repeated instaces of Mr. Siddaramaiah addressing Opposition leaders in singular language indicated the Congress’ intolerance towards others, Mr. Kumaraswamy alleged.
He wanted to know whether the officials did not brief the government about the exact reason for the death of Arabhavi and demanded that the post-mortem report be made public.
“We all know how shaky the Chief Minister was when the farmer committed suicide. The government had announced a special compensation of Rs. 10 lakh to his family too,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said.
‘Teach them a lesson’Terming the statement an insult to farmers, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the farmers would teach the Congress a befitting lesson in the Lok Sabha election.
“It seems Mr. Siddaramaiah, in pursuit of registering a record in addressing public meetings, is unable to find suitable issues for a debate. This government is an uncultured and uncivilised one,” he added.
