Primary and Secondary Education Minister Tanveer Sait said on Saturday that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would decide whether to retain him in the Cabinet or not.
He was speaking at a technical session on 'Kannada Samshodhane Mathu Vimarshe' held as part of the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana.
He was reacting to the appeal by writer Chandrasekhar Patil (Champa), also president of the Sammelana, to Siddaramaiah to drop Sait or at least change his portfolio as he was not good enough as the education minister.
President of the previous Sammelana Baraguru Ramachandrappa had also expressed displeasure with Sait for not responding to his demand for a 'Naada Pathya' (state syllabus).
Sait said, "I am satisfied with my achievements and contributions as minister so far. Yesterday, I could not attend the inaugural function of the Ssammelana as I was expected to be present in the Assembly session in view of the expected tabling of a private bill to make it compulsory for the children of government officials and employees to attend government schools".
"I hold both the senior writers - Champa and Baraguru Ramachandrappa - in high esteem. But I disagree with them on their complaints against me. I respect their right to freedom of expression. However, they should not have used the platform of the Sammelana to complain against me," he said.
"Champa has said that my attitude is not pro-Kannada. I need not learn about Kannada from anybody. I am a Kannadiga till my last breath," he said.
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