Oppn takes exception to Kumaraswamy's foreign visit

Bangalore, Jun 27: Some of the Opposition members in the Karnataka Assembly today took great exception to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's two-day visit to Singapore when the House was in session.

Mr Vatal Nagaraj of the Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha raised the issue during question hour when his question relating to the Arkavathi layout project came up for reply.

Taking strong exception to the Chief Minister's foreign visit during the Legislature session, Mr Nagaraj said he could have done so after the end of the session. He was joined by senior Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge and Janata Dal (United) member J C Madhuswamy.

Home Minister M P Prakash, who had been replying to questions on behalf of Mr Kumaraswamy, said the Chief Minister had gone to Singapore on a personal invitation from that country's premier to attract investments to the State. Speaker Krishna had already been informed of the visit and even the Business Advisory Committee, which met yesterday, was informed about it, he added.

He said that though he admitted that the presence of Ministers in the House was a must, they could take the permission of the House for their absence due to unavoidable reasons and exigencies. There was precedence in the matter, even in Parliament, he added.

Mr Prakash objected to Mr Srinivasa Gowda's (Congress) statement that it was ironical that Mr Kumaraswamy was in Singapore to seek investment to the State when there was flight of capital from the State.

UNI

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