Karnataka Minister mulls over additional portfolio
Bengaluru, Sept 28: Striking a dissenting note over the additional charge of sports and youth empowerment, Karnataka Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj K S Eshwarappa on Saturday said he was mulling whether to accept it or not.
His statement comes a day after Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa gave additional responsibilities to 14 ministers.
"Some additional responsibilities have been given to the ministers. I have been given the additional charge of sports and youth empowerment.
I will discuss with the chief minister and decide whether to accept this responsibility or not," Eshwarappa told reporters in Shivamogga, without elaborating.
Replying to a query on the war of words between former chief minister Siddaramaiah and former union minister K H Muniyappa, Eshwarappa said, "Power and position are not permanent. It is applicable to me, Siddaramaiah, Yediyurappa or Kumaraswamy."
According to reports, a bitter war of words ensued between Siddaramaiah and Muniyappa during the Karnataka Congress meeting held here on Thursday to discuss their strategy for the upcoming bypolls and strengthening the party base.
Muniyappa was reportedly upset with his defeat from Kolar Lok Sabha constituency and held Siddaramaiah accountable for it.
Recalling how Yediyurappa's attempt to form Karnataka Janata Paksha to counter the BJP fell flat, Eshwarappa asserted that no one was above the party and any attempt to destroy it would have a bearing on their political future as well.
"No one comes to power without the support of the party.
Siddaramaiah had built the party but how many seats could he win? Three plus one! Yediyurappa too formed a party, how many seats he won? Three plus one seats!" the minister said.
Eshwarappa noted that no one could succeed by crossing their limits and trying to go beyond the party line.
"If people in power do not understand this then, they alone will be destroyed, not the party," he added.
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Unruly scenes witnessed in Punjab Assembly
Chandigarh (PTI): The Punjab Assembly on Friday witnessed high drama on Friday after Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira made an allegedly objectionable remark against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during an intense argument over the alleged use of mobile phone in the house by the legislator.
During the one-day special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here, Mann accused Khaira of using a mobile phone when Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan was reading out an official resolution on the revision of wages.
After rising from his seat, the chief minister pointed to the speaker, claiming that Khaira is busy on his mobile phone and urged him to ask the Congress MLA what Sandhwan had said about the resolution.
The speaker then asked Khaira to maintain order in the house and listen to the resolution carefully.
Mann then asked Khaira, "Why don't you go out and then use it (mobile phone)," which led to a strong verbal altercation during which the opposition MLA hurled an accusation against the chief minister. Meanwhile, the speaker appealed for order and insisted that the chair be addressed.
However, both Mann and Khaira continued arguing and could be seen pointing fingers at each other as the proceedings of the house were disrupted.
The AAP MLAs also rose from their seats with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema condemning Khaira for his conduct and demanded action against him.
Cheema further alleged that Khaira "always tries to disturb the house" as he spoke about his conduct in the assembly.
The incident occurred as an official resolution on the revision of wages was presented at the special session by Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond who said it paid homage to labourers on the International Workers' Day.
"Workers are the axis of construction of the nation, the community, the state and society. Every construction project succeeds only through their blood and sweat," the resolution read.
As per the resolution, "The base rate of minimum wages for the working class in Punjab was last revised in the year 2012. Although the dearness allowance has continued to increase since 2012, there has been no increase in the base rate of minimum wages.
On this sacred occasion of May Day, in this special session of the legislative assembly, this house proposes to revise and increase the minimum wages of labourers and strongly recommends to the government to take a decision regarding the increase of minimum wages for workers, so that the contributions of the workers can be acknowledged." PRK
