Madhuswamy jibe: Somashekhar says govt working fine

Cooperation Minister S T Somashekar on Sunday hit out at Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy for his purported remark ‘Government is not functioning, we are somehow managing’.

In a phone conversation, the audio clip of which has gone viral on social media platforms, Madhuswamy was purportedly heard saying to a social worker from Channapatna, “We are not running a government here, we are just doing management, pulling through for the next 7 to 8 months.”

Speaking to reporters, Somashekar said if he had indeed made such comments, it’s wrong.

“Madhuswamy is under the impression that he’s a scholar. He thinks he’s more mature and knowledgeable than others. Like the scholar (Madhuswamy) said, the government is not crawling. Maybe his department (Minor Irrigation) is limping,” Somashekar mocked.

“Cabinet meetings are being convened every week and the major decisions are taken. He (Madhuswamy) himself briefs the media on the decisions taken,” the Mysuru district minister said adding that the Bommai-led government is running fine and no one should point fingers at it.

Replying to a specific query, Somashekar said, “It is not right on part of Madhuswamy to complain against me for not heeding to his request. I cannot violate rules to serve a notice to an officer. We cannot target anybody. We can initiate action only after an officer is found guilty of an offence during inquiry.”