KA-PM-KUMARASWAMY

PM reacting to a statement I never made, says Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru, Jan 12 (PTI): 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

tofalse information/statement.

Such statements won't deter ourcoalition government from

the development agenda," Kumaraswamysaid 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 isbeing 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. Idon'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 positionof Prime Minister," Karnataka Congress said in a

tweet inKannada.

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.