JOIN USChief Minister Siddaramaiah seems to be caught in “announce in a hurry, retract in haste,” syndrome ever since he has assumed office.
Siddaramaiah, much to his discomfiture, has had to eat a humble pie with all his four announcements he so grandiosely made following the change of political governance in the State.
However, when quizzed about his going on the backfoot and beating a hasty retreat complex, a roused Siddaramaiah thundered “I am not scared of anyone. I am also not backward though I belong to the backward class community. I am the chief minister of 6.11 crore people of the State.”
Siddaramaiah’s hurt is quite understandable given the chief minister’s poor clarity as to what he actually intended and implied to do and what was read into his announcements. So, when a scribe sought to liken his situation to that of Basanavahula (snail), the chief minister just thundered: I am neither a basava (meaning a nodding head like a bull) nor a basavanahula (snail).” So much for Siddaramaiah’s honeymoon with the press.
Defending himself, Siddaramaiah clarified that the government never intended to take over the ashta mutts in Udupi but only undertake a probe into the context under which the previous government omitted the Krishna Temple from the purview of the Muzrai department.
Likewise, lamenting that his much cherised plan of providing rice for Rs 1 per kg from June could not take off due to paucity of the produce, Siddaramaiah averred that the scheme was certainly on and would see the light of the day from July 10 and he would launch it from Bangalore.
As to advocating sale of cheap liquor, the chief minister sought to project himself as the messiah of the poor villagers claiming that whisky priced at Rs 38 was being sold at double the cost in villages.
The poor are paying more for the rich man’s habit. We have to ensure that liquor is not being sold for more than its actual price in villages as well, he explained.
On opening more wine stores, the chief minister blamed the media stating that they had simply twisted his statement and that he had no plan to allow opening of more wine stores.
“The media asked me whether the unemployed would get priority in case the government gives license for new wine shops. I had said it would be considered,” he said.