Mumbai: Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil’s singing a Kannada patriotic song at program in Gokak has drawn demands of apology from the minister from the opposition. Mr Patil also holds a portfolio of border dispute issues between Maharashtra and Karnataka.
On Saturday, the Minister was attending a temple inauguration program at Gokak, where he started his speech in Kannada. Later he also sang ‘Huttidare Kannada Nadali Huttabeku’ from a Kannada movie.
His actions attracted the ire of the opposition. Leader of Opposition in state council Dhananjay Munde tweeted, “We all were aware of Maharashtra BJP’s love for Gujarati. Now their love for Kannada is also out in open. Chandrakant Patil has backstabbed the population living in border areas and all Marathis by singing paeans for Kannada in Karnataka,” tweeted Mr Munde. He also demanded his resignation.
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Both states are fighting a border dispute in the apex court and Mr Patil has a portfolio of looking after Maharashtra’s side. This is for the first time that any minister from Maharashtra has gone to the extent of praising Karnataka despite being involved in bitter rivalry.
Former deputy CM Ajit Pawar too has demanded the resignation of Mr. Patil, for ‘insulting’ Maharashtra in Karnataka. Demanding his resignation, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant too said if a minister feels sorry for being born in Maharashtra then he has no right to remain Minister.
Mr. Patil however, clarified it was neither a planned incident nor a political one. “I had gone there for a temple inauguration program and the villagers who were in attendance requested me to speak in Kannada and sing the song. I only followed the simple request and no one should see any political meaning behind this act,” he said.
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