‘Go to Modi, you voted for him’: HD Kumaraswamy tells protesters in Raichur

Raichur, June 26: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday lost his cool during Grama Vastavya, state-wide tour to connect with the people to Raichur as he was greeted with a protest by the locals.

Kumaraswamy shouted at a group of employees of the Yermarus Thermal Power Station (YTPS) in Raichur district blocked his convoy to submit a list of their grievances.

"You voted for Narendra Modi and want me to get your works done! You want me to give you respect. Should I baton-charge you? Leave the place," he told the YTPS employees and then left the place.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP condemned the chief minister's outburst and threatened to stage state-wide agitations if Kumaraswamy did not apologise to the masses.

BJP MLC and spokesperson N Ravi Kumar said Kumaraswamy seemed to have forgotten that he is the chief minister of 6.5 crore people of the state and not only of some Janata Dal (Secular) workers and legislators. Kumar said the chief minister's act was against democracy.

"This is against democracy. The chief minister should immediately seek an apology from the people. He should call them and hear them. If this continues, the BJP will agitate against him across the state," Kumar told PTI.

He reminded the chief minister that the purpose of the "Grama Vastavya" programme was to address the grievances of farmers, workers, women, children and people at large.

Recently, Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa dismissed Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's 'Grama Vastavya' (overnight stay in villages) programme as a "drama" and said people need relief from the "daily street fight" between Congress and JD(S) leaders.

The Chief Minister is wasting crores of rupees in the name of 'Grama Vastavya', he alleged and claimed that the government spent Rs 1 crore on Kumaraswamy's stay at Chandaraki village in Yadgir district last week as part of the programme.

'Grama Vastavya' is aimed at taking administration to the people.