PM reacting to a statement I never made, says Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru, Jan 12: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Saturday said he was "amused" at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "clerk" comment referring to him and clarified that he had never made such a statement.
"I am amused to see Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodi reacting to a statement which I never made.
After farmers loan this is the second time he is reacting to false information/statement.
Such statements won't deter our coalition government from the development agenda," Kumaraswamy Said in a tweet.
The "farmers' loan" was a reference to Modi's statement at a rally in Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh in December 29 last year that Congress promised loan waivers to lakhs of farmers, but the JD(S)-Congress coalition in Karnataka did not deliver.
"Lollipops" were handed out. The loan waiver was given to only 800 farmers, Modi had claimed.
Addressing the BJP's National Convention in New Delhi Saturday, Modi referred to a reported statement of Kumaraswamy about functioning like a clerk.
"In Karnataka, where there is a coalition government,what is the Chief Minister there saying? Karnataka Chief Minister, who is the Chief Minister of a coalition government.
It has been a just few months, but he is worried so much that he is saying that instead of (being treated as) Chief Minister, he is being treated like a clerk," Modi said.
According to some media reports, Kumaraswamy, during the recent meeting with party legislators, had told them that he was working under pressure.
The reports had also quoted the Chief Minister as having told them that he was functioning like a clerk and accusing the JDS coalition partner Congress of interference.
Kumaraswamy had on Thursday rubbished the media reports, terming them as "speculative" and "imaginary".
Reacting to the Prime Minister's comments, JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda asked "Will he praise the coalition government and not criticise?"
No one should speak lightly about anybody. I don't have the practise of talking lightly about anyone. I don't want its advantage also", he said.
The state Congress too has hit back at Modi, calling him a "leader of failures".
"Respected Narendra Modi, you have called the Chief Minister of a democratically elected government a clerk.
You, aleader of failures, lord of lies, have diminished the position of Prime Minister," Karnataka Congress said in a tweet in Kannada.
It attacked the Prime Minister for not coming to Parliament and responding to the charges against him.
Noting that the matter was something between Congress and JD(S), the coalition coordination committee chief and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked what Modi has to do with it.
He said "Modi doesn't know anything he is trying to instigate"
Karnataka BJP leaders Prahlad Joshi and Jagadish Shettar defended Modi's remark, saying that he was only quoting Kumaraswamy.
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Rickelton's ton in vain as SRH beat MI by 6 wickets
Mumbai (PTI): Ryan Rickelton's whirlwind unbeaten ton was overshadowed by Heinrich Klaasen's unbeaten 65 as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Mumbai Indians by six wickets in an IPL match here on Wednesday.
Chasing an imposing 244-run target, Travis Head (76 off 30) and Abhishek Sharma (45 off 24) shared 129 runs for the opening wicket to set the platform for SRH.
Klaasen (65 not out off 30 balls) then displayed his all-round hitting abilities to guide SRH home with the help of Nitish Kumar Reddy (21) and Salil Arora (30 not out off 10) in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, Rickelton's knock powered MI to 243 for five.
MI rode on a 93-run stand between Rickelton (123 not out off 55 balls) and Will Jacks (46 off 22) in 7.1 overs for the opening stand to power the side.
MI skipper Hardik Pandya scored a valuable 31 off 15 balls before being dismissed.
Praful Hinge (2/54), Eshan Malinga (1/29), Sakib Hasan (1/39) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1/31) were the wicket-takers for SRH.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai Indian: 243 for 5 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickelton 123 not out; Praful Hinge 2/54).
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 249 for 4 in 18.4 overs (Travis Head 76, Heinrich Klaasen 65 not out; AM Ghazanfar 2/51).
