Madikeri: A day after the controversy around following Union Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman snubbing Minister Sa Ra Mahesh broke out, both the BJP and the Congress leaders used social media to criticise each other. Ex-Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticised the union minister for her approach while BJP state organizing general secretary B L Santosh tweeted justifying the minister.
Reacting to the public spat between Nirmala Sitharaman and Kodagu district in-charge minister S R Mahesh, Siddaramaiah tweeted: “I condemn the stepmotherly treatment by @PMOIndia in releasing relief funds. We expected PM @narendramodi to assess the loss, instead it was delegated to @DefenceMinIndia, who was more interested in dominating our state minister. This reflects @BJP4India ‘s apathy towards Karnataka.”
On Saturday morning, BL Santosh in a series of tweets hit back at both Congress and the JDS. In his tweets, he stated that the Defense Minister was speaking to senior ex-servicemen, which District Incharge Minister wanted to cut short. Defense Minister had asked the DC not to call any officer who is working in the field to the meeting.
“If the state government doesn’t want to implement Madhava Gadgil Committee report & Kasturirangan Committee report there are administrative methods to do it. You cannot object to somebody having an alternate opinion,” he tweeted.
“Defense minister contributed Rs 1 Cr from MPLADs & Rs 7Cr from Defense PSUs. She will talk to Hon’ble PM for rehabilitation package & today Ex CM Siddaramaiah & Minister Sa Ra Mahesh has all kind of advice to Defence Minister (sic),” he hit back.
Meanwhile, DCM and Home Minister G Parameshwar also took a dig at Nirmala Sitharaman. In a series of tweets, he pointed out that the state governments derive their powers from the Constitution, not from the Centre. The constitution has distributed powers among the center and states to ensure an equitable partnership between both. We are not inferior to the center. We are partners @nsitharaman.
“Our ministers have stayed back in Kodagu for weeks to oversee relief operations along with district administration. You should extend to them the same respect that they extend for the help from your end. It was disappointing to see you lash out at my colleague,” he tweeted.
