“Should I order police to lathi charge? You vote for Narendra Modi and expect me to solve your problem...You don’t deserve any respect,” this is what Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said after losing his cool at a bunch of protesters on Wednesday. Members of the Yeramarus Thermal Power Plant workers stopped the KSRTC bus CM Kumaraswamy had boarded, which was on its way to Karegudde village. Tungabhadra Valaya Hangami Karmikara Sangha and Hutti Gold Mines Staff Employees Union had gathered to narrate their woes of not getting salaries to the Chief Minister. But instead of getting a sympathetic ear, what they got was a rant from the Chief Minister.
The incident happened when the CM was on his way to a Raichur village on his second 'village stay' program. The Karnataka CM started the 'village stay' program to visit villages and earn the confidence of the people by listening to their issues and solving them.
#WATCH Raichur: Workers from Yermarus Thermal Power Station protested before the bus of Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy over wages and other issues & raised slogans of 'Shame! Shame!', while he was on his way to Karegudda for his 'village stay prog'. The CM got angry on protesters. pic.twitter.com/FK3OI4limx
— ANI (@ANI) June 26, 2019
The protesters, a majority of them workers from the Yermarus Thermal Power Station and Hutti Gold Mines had started shouting slogans when CM was about to leave the inspection bungalow in Yermarus. For 20 minutes, they gheraoed the CM chanting slogans demanding the government meet their demands regarding pending pays and work conditions.
According to the protestors, 748 employees working for the power plant have not been paid salary for the last 14 months, the protesters claimed.
R Manasayya, a union leader said that the CM had promised to meet them at Yeramarus bungalow to discuss the issue. When they saw his bus pass without stopping, the workers rushed out to stop the bus.
Speaking to reports, he said CM broke his promise to listen to people's problems.
After realising that the protesters won’t let go of him, the CM agreed to have a talk with the protestors from the bus. He later assured that their problems would be taken care of within a week.
Reacting to the CM’s rant, the BJP launched an attack on him. BJP MLA Arvind Limbavali said, “If you cannot listen to the people then who in Karnataka asked you to become the CM ? Kannadigas anyways didn't vote for you nor did they ask you to be the CM. Do the state a favor by stepping down. You are fit for nothing.”
Look at the arrogance of @hd_kumaraswamy
— Arvind Limbavali (@bjparvind) June 26, 2019
If you cannot listen to the plead of people then who in Karnataka asked you to become the CM ?
Kannadigas anyways didn't vote for you nor did they ask you to be the CM.
Do the state a favor by stepping down. You are fit for nothing pic.twitter.com/jUjlfROAYE