Kumaraswamy slams Modi over "Mission Shakti"
Bengaluru, Mar 27: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Wednesday questioned whether the success of the A-SAT was a major achievement of the Modi government and charged the Prime Minister with seeking votes "using the works done by someone else."
"Is it a major achievement (of Modi government)? There is a team of scientists in the country specifically for that purpose.They do their job in a routine manner, irrespective of whichever government is in power.
So using somebody else's work, should anyone seek votes? It is the contribution of citizens who are experts in some specialised fields," the chief minister said.
India Wednesday shot down a satellite revolving at the low earth orbit, thereby joining the league of developed nations which have achieved this feat, about which the prime minister made the announcement in his televised address to the nation.
In an apparent bid to downplay the achievement, Kumaraswamy said "Did Narendra Modi shoot the anti-satellite? It is the scientists who made it possible."
Mocking Modi, Kumaraswamy told reporters in Bengaluru that the prime minister made everyone wait for half-an-hour, so much so that everybody was in tension, whether they were in the bathroom, office or bus stand.
Turning to journalists, he said the media needs such stories to attribute every achievement to Modi.
"You need this (such stories). This is an era where achievements started 50 years ago are projected as if something done now by Modi," the chief minister said.
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao credited scientists and engineers at IISc, DRDO and ISRO for the achievement.
"It is indeed a matter of pride. Modi says today that India has emerged as a space super power, but I would like to tell him that India became space superpower long back, not today.
Chandrayaan and Mangal Yaan and many other satellites were launched long back.
The credit should go to our scientists and engineers at IISc, ISRO and DRDO," Rao told reporters in Bengaluru.
Congress strongman and former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah gave credit to successive Prime Ministers and scientists for the development of A-SAT.
He tweeted; "Years of ground work, persistent efforts, incremental technological advancements & the vision of all the Prime ministers, scientists & other stakeholders have now yielded results."
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Cong high command, CM to decide on K'taka Cabinet reshuffle: Minister Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday said any decision regarding the cabinet reshuffle rests solely with the Congress high command and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
His remarks come as several party legislators step up their demands for a ministerial role.
Defending the MLAs' right to express their desires, the minister said, "It is natural to have aspirations and there is nothing wrong in seeking a minister post. What is wrong in them (MLAs) asking for an opportunity? Whether to give or not is upto the high command to decide... it is the Chief Minister's discretion..."
Speaking to reporters here, Parameshwara said the high command will look into these things and decide what needs to be done.
A group of senior Congress legislators, who have served as MLAs for over three terms, called on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday, urging him to rejig the cabinet and give them an opportunity to serve as Ministers.
The group of about 40 legislators has planned to travel to New Delhi on April 11 after the by-polls, to meet the Congress high command and discuss the induction of at least 20 of them during the reshuffle.
Some first and second-time legislators have also recently pressed for a cabinet reshuffle.
Amid the ongoing power tussle within the ruling Congress with speculations about CM change that has intensified after the government completed half way mark in November, a section of Congress MLAs has been pushing for a cabinet rejig for some time, with several aspirants openly expressing their wish to be inducted.
Karnataka has a sanctioned strength of 34 ministers, including the chief minister. Two cabinet berths are currently vacant — following the resignation of B Nagendra over allegations of embezzlement at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, and the sacking of K N Rajanna from the cabinet on the instructions of the party high command.
Asked whether the Congress faced difficulty in finalising candidates for the April 9 by-polls to Bagalkot and Davangere South Assembly segments, Parameshwara said there was no difficulty, and that the party is evaluating candidates in both constituencies, based on winnability as a criterion.
"The Davangere seat was earlier represented by Shamanur Shivashankarappa, so naturally there is demand for the ticket for his family, also as the minority community population is higher in that segment they too are asking for the ticket. Ultimately, the party will decide. In Bagalkote too, there is a demand that tickets be given to the late MLA Meti's son; there are also other aspirants there seeking tickets. The party will decide," he said.
Based on reports from the local workers about winnability, the party will decide on the candidates, he added.
Bypolls for the Bagalkote and Davanagere South assembly constituencies have been necessitated following the deaths of sitting Congress MLAs H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa, respectively.
To a question regarding AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala's visit to the state, the Home Minister said he is most likely here for discussions regarding the by-polls, and there may also be other matters.
"AICC General Secretary may have come with certain mandates."
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