H D Kumaraswamy
Credit: PTI File Photo
Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to clarify whether he was still the CM of the state or if Deputy CM D K Shivakumar now occupied the top post.
Kumaraswamy expressed disappointment with the CM’s answer to a query on the missed deadline for filling potholes on Bengaluru’s roads. “The CM is asking journalists to ask the Deputy CM about the potholes. This is the height of irresponsibility,” said Kumaraswamy.
The Union Minister further said that Siddaramaiah seemed incapable of discharging his responsibilities.
Responding to Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and senior BJP leader R Ashoka’s statements on the saffron party’s readiness to face midterm polls in the state, Kumaraswamy said, “If the BJP is ready, so is the JD(S). If the government falls, we must be prepared for elections. But I won’t talk about midterm polls; if Congress leaders resolve their differences, this government will complete its five-year term since the ruling party has 136 MLAs.”
Kumaraswamy, who flagged off the ‘Pustaka Jaatre’ organised by Sapna Book House to mark Kannada Rajyotsava, urged the state government to resume wholesale procurement of Kannada books, and distribute them to public libraries.
“The state government has reportedly not procured books for public libraries for the last four or five years. I hope the government is not in a position where it cannot afford to purchase Kannada books for libraries,” said the Union Minister.
On Saturday, Kumaraswamy wrote to the CM, urging him to take immediate steps to procure books for public libraries.
He said, “Youngsters are addicted to mobile phones. The need of the hour is to wean them away from mobile phones and inculcate the habit of reading. Furthermore, public libraries are places where one can kindle a passion for the language and its literature. Literary works of our writers must be easily accessible to the public.”
The union minister said he was re-reading Ta Ra Su’s magnum opus ‘Durgastamana’.
“I have read it many times, but it is so interesting, it’s exciting each time I read it,” he said.