Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday tried to downplay the episode of an audio clip of Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswamy purportedly saying that the government is not functioning, going viral. Defending the Minister, he said, “there is no need for any misunderstanding” about his comments.
Mr. Madhuswamy has come under sharp criticism from his Cabinet colleagues, who have urged him to resign following his remarks about the functioning of the government.
In response to a question, the Chief Minister said, “I have spoken to the Minister and there is no need for any misunderstanding. Everything is fine in the government and there is no problem.”
Mr. Bommai said the Minister had made the statement three months back while specifically referring to a particular subject in the Cooperation Department. The Chief Minister said he would talk to other Ministers who were upset about Mr. Madhuswamy’s remarks.
While speaking to a person over the phone, Mr. Madhuswamy had said, “The government is not functioning; we are just managing, pulling through for the next 7-8 months”. The audio clip went viral on social media, putting the government in an embarrassing situation.
Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, KPCC campaign committee chairman M.B. Patil and Krishna Byre Gowda, MLA, too reacted and said Mr. Madhuswamy spoke the truth about the functioning of the government.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said, “Mr. Madhuswamy spoke reality about the functioning of the BJP government without knowing his comments will go viral.”
Mr. Patil said, “The Chief Minister is unaware of what his Ministers are doing. This is a directionless government. Mr. Madhuswamy himself admitted failure in maintaining the law and order”.
Mr. Gowda tweeted: “If the Minister speaks the truth, then he should resign. Instead of taking the State forward, the Ministers are indulging in infighting.”
