Kumaraswamy apologises after video shows him using foul language against ex-K'taka Speaker
Bengaluru, Nov 23: Former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday apologised for the use of an expletive while referring to Congress legislator and former state assembly speaker K R Ramesh Kumar.
Kumaraswamy's apology came after his video during a private conversation went viral.
"The word I used for former speaker Ramesh Kumar hurts me too. The use of that word is neither my nature, nor it is my personality. I regret if my word has hurt Ramesh Kumar or anyone else. I withdraw my words," the JD(S) second-in-command said in a tweet.
The JD(S) leader had earlier inspected a government school at Srinivaspur in Kolar district, a constituency represented by Kumar.
Explaining the circumstances which made him angry, Kumaraswamy tweeted, "Yesterday, I was very sad to see a dilapidated school in Bangavadi village of Srinivaspur Assembly Constituency. I was outraged to hear that the children were attending classes under a 'Peepal' tree for the past two to three years."
The former chief minister said he used the invective in anger but never intended to insult anyone.
"I want to clarify that the tears in the eyes of children became a reason behind my outburst," Kumaraswamy said.
ನಿನ್ನೆಯ ದಿನ ಶ್ರೀನಿವಾಸಪುರ ವಿಧಾನಸಭೆ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದ ಬಂಗವಾದಿ ಗ್ರಾಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಶಿಥಿಲಾವಸ್ಥೆಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಶಾಲೆ ಕಂಡು ನನಗೆ ಬಹಳ ಬೇಸರವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಮಕ್ಕಳು 2-3 ವರ್ಷದಿಂದ ಎದುರಿನ ಅಶ್ವತ್ಥಕಟ್ಟೆ ಮೇಲೆ ಪಾಠ ಕೇಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು ಎಂದು ಕೇಳಿ ನನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಆಕ್ರೋಶ ಉಂಟಾಗಿತ್ತು. 2/3
— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) November 23, 2022
ಈ ಆಕ್ರೋಶದ ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾತನಾಡುವ ಭರದಲ್ಲಿ ಹಾಗೆ ಮಾತನಾಡಿದ್ದೇನೆ ಹೊರತು, ಯಾರಿಗೂ ಅಪಮಾನ ಮಾಡುವುದಕ್ಕೆ ಅಲ್ಲ. ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಕಣ್ಣೀರು ನನ್ನ ಸಿಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಕಾರಣವಾಯಿತು ಎಂದು ಮತ್ತೊಮ್ಮೆ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟಪಡಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. 3/3
— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) November 23, 2022
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IMF approves USD 206 million emergency funding for cyclone-hit Sri Lanka's recovery
Colombo (PTI): The IMF has approved an emergency funding of USD 206 million under its rapid finance instrument to help Sri Lanka “address the urgent needs arising from the catastrophic Cyclone Ditwah and preserve macroeconomic stability”.
The cyclone caused widespread destruction in the island nation and left over 643 people dead.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the disaster has created urgent humanitarian and reconstruction needs, generating significant fiscal pressures and balance-of-payments needs.
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The emergency financial support provided by the IMF under the rapid finance instrument will help address these pressures, it said.
The IMF added that the cyclone devastation hit when the Fifth Review of Sri Lanka’s USD 2.9 billion bailout was nearing completion.
“Given the time needed to assess the economic impact of the cyclone and examine how an IMF-supported programme can best support Sri Lanka’s recovery and reconstruction efforts while preserving objectives and policy priorities, the Fifth Review has been deferred," it said.
"An IMF mission team will visit Sri Lanka in early 2026 to resume discussions,” it added.
The 48-month extended fund facility deal with the IMF in March 2023 carried hard reforms to Sri Lanka's welfare-based governance.
It was signed after Sri Lanka plunged into an unprecedented economic meltdown with its first-ever sovereign default.
Several hours before the IMF decision, the parliament here approved without a vote a supplementary estimate of LKR 500 billion, which the government said was required to restore the livelihoods of those affected by the disaster.
