Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday turned down Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy’s demand to not keep the controversial expensive wristwatch in the Cabinet Hall.
The watch episode, which consumed two days of the legislature session, figured on the last day too, with Mr. Kumaraswamy clarifying that he did not raise the issue to tarnish Mr. Siddaramaiah’s image.
Mr. Siddaramaiah had alleged that Mr. Kumaraswamy was jealous of him for being the Chief Minister and hence was adopting hit and run tactics to attack him.
Mr. Kumaraswamy, who brought the issue of the Chief Minister having the expensive watch before the public, regretted that all his attempts to take issues of alleged corruption to the logical end in the last few years had resulted in antagonising one community or the other. “My own party colleagues are accusing me of antagonising backward classes for having taken up the watch issue,” he said.
Responding to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s allegation that the watch issue was raised to tarnish his image, Mr. Kumaraswamy said, “It was my image that got tarnished in the process. Questions were raised about my personal life. Except my wife, no one has the right to question me. Similarly, if my son has an expensive car, it is up to the Income Tax Department to question, not others,” he argued.
‘Not jealous’
He also said he was not jealous of Mr. Siddaramaiah. He had never anticipated the issue would become this big. It was actually the Chief Minister and the media who made the issue big, he maintained.
Recalling the controversial episode of the then Minister C.M. Ibrahim receiving an expensive watch as gift in the 1980s, the former Chief Minister said, “At that time Kagodu Thimmappa was the Leader of the House and he was forced to defend Mr. Ibrahim. Now, Mr. Thimmappa, who is the Speaker, has to defend Mr. Siddaramaiah.”
Describing the Cabinet Hall as the sanctum sanctorum , Mr. Kumaraswamy appealed to Mr. Siddaramaiah against keeping the watch there, as Mr. Thimmappa was not sure whether the watch in question was gifted or stolen. He also urged Mr. Siddaramaiah to furnish the purchase receipt and taxes paid and affidavit with respect to the gift to clear the air on the issue.
In the course of debate, Mr. Thimmappa said, “I don’t know when the person who gifted the watch will land in trouble.”
Looked offended by the Speaker’s comment, Mr. Siddaramaiah immediately clarified that it was a “used watch” and none of the legal norms was violated in the process.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said his friend gifted the watch last year and he wore it for three months. “There is no doubt in the minds of the public as things are crystal clear, and as per the tradition, the watch will be kept in the Cabinet Hall,” he said.
The JD(S) leader is against keeping Siddaramaiah’s expensive watch in the Cabinet Hall
Kumaraswamy clarifies that he did not raise the watch issue to tarnish Siddaramaiah’s image
He says it was his image that got tarnished in the process
There is no doubt in the minds of the public as things are crystal clear, and … the watch will be kept in the Cabinet Hall, says the Chief Minister
