Karnataka Minister K S Eshwarappa attacks Congress leaders, apologises later
Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister K S Eshwarappa on Tuesday courted controversy by making some objectionable remarks against Congress leaders which drew a strong response from the opposition party.
Moments later he apologised for his utterance and asked the media not to play it up. At a press conference, he attacked the Congress and used an objectionable term.
...Why I am using this term is because they don't have any idea what to utter and what to omit, Eshwarappa, who holds the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj portfolio, said.
Eshwarappa's outburst was following a query from a journalist that someone from Congress had called him (the minister) a joker.
To buttress his point, the minister said Congress leader Siddaramaiah had demanded that a Dalit leader should be made chief minister.
"Since independence the Congress had been in power but why they did not make any Dalit a chief minister. Should we give them any weightage?" Eshwarappa said.
"Let them say now who is joker whether Congress, BJP or Eshwarappa?" he said.
Taking strong exception, former chief minister Siddaramaiah described Eshwarappa as a man lacking culture.
"Only a man without culture can use such words. Eshwarappa does not have culture," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysuru.
The minister's outburst also drew sharp reaction from senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad.
"I appeal to Health Minister K Sudhakar to get Eshwara admitted to NIMHANS, the world famous mental and neurological institute located in Bengaluru, at the earliest and get him the best treatment there," Hariprasad said.
The minister was in the news when he said during a party workers' meet at Shivamogga on Sunday that the BJP workers were capable of giving back in equal measure, when rivals attacked them.
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India describes attack on Fujairah 'unacceptable'
New Delhi (PTI): India on Tuesday described the wounding of three Indians in an attack on the United Arab Emirates' port city of Fujairah as "unacceptable" and pressed for an immediate cessation of hostilities targeting innocent civilians.
New Delhi's reaction came a day after the Indians were injured after a drone attack caused a fire at a major oil industry zone in Fujairah. The UAE had accused Iran of carrying out the strike.
"The attack on Fujairah that resulted in injury to three Indian nationals is unacceptable," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
"We call for immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians," the spokesperson said.
Jaiswal said India continued to stand for dialogue and diplomacy to deal with the situation so that peace and stability could be restored across West Asia.
"We also call for free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz in keeping with international law. India stands ready to support all efforts for a peaceful resolution of issues," he said.
The attack on Fujairah city came as the ceasefire between the US and Iran came under strain in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and gas pass, remains a major sticking point in the talks. Shipping through the narrow Gulf waterway has been severely disrupted by the conflict, triggering a sharp increase in oil prices and energy shortages in several countries.
The UAE's defence ministry on Monday said its air defence systems engaged 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones launched from Iran.
The ministry affirmed that it "remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront anything that aims to undermine the security of the country."
