Union Minister Kumaraswamy hits out at Cong govt over ''Janata Darshan''

MANDYA: Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday hit out at the Congress government in Karnataka as he held a ‘Janata Darshan’ in his Lok Sabha constituency here without the presence of State officials.

“The State government is not letting me hold ‘Janata Darshan’ in Mandya,” the JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister told reporters in the district headquarters town of Mysuru before heading for Mandya, adding, he has been told to cancel it.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah denied Kumaraswamy's charge.

“Only the Chief Minister and the District-In-Charge Ministers can hold Janata Darshan. This rule is not new but has been there for the past many years,” Siddaramaiah said.

The previous BJP government had also passed an order that even the Leader of Opposition has no powers to conduct a review meeting, he said.

Siddaramaiah underlined that this rule was not made for Kumaraswamy but it has been in existence for the past many years.

Kumaraswamy said: “They (Congress) have said: cancel ‘Janata Darshan’. They even issued a guideline in the cabinet meeting. I know who is involved in it.”

Despite the circular, the Union Steel and Heavy Industries Minister said, the Congress government cannot stop him from meeting people because it has been his policy to interact with them.

“In spite of the state government's attempts to put impediments, I will listen to the people’s woes,” Kumaraswamy said.

Sources in Mandya said the District-in-Charge Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy will hold a 'Janata Darshan' on Saturday.