Media ''exaggerated'' borewell incident: Kumaraswamy

Raichur, Apr 28 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today expressed dismay over a section of media reports for ''blowing out of proportion'' the borewell incident at Neermanvi village in which an 8-year-old boy died despite efforts to save him.

Talking to newspersons here, he said a private TV channel ''was unfairly'' faulting the government.

''A section of the print and electronic media overreacted and exaggerated the incident. During their interview of villagers, they forced people to say that the government failed to do anything,'' he alleged.

The Chief Minister appreciated district officials for their efforts to save the boy.

Dismissing the Opposition Congress party's charge that his government had failed to take steps to save the boy and the late arrival of the district-in-charge Minister to the site, the Chief Minister clarified that the Minister could not visit the site early as he had to attend, a Cabinet meeting.

However, he had maintained continuous touch with the district officials, he added.

He asked Congress leaders to recall what they had done when floods occurred during their party's regime.

The Chief Minister later handed over a cheque for Rs one lakh to the boy's brothers in absence of their parents who had taken ill.

UNI