‘Not inferior to centre’ Parameshwara tells defence minister Sitharaman

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday hit back at Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for lashing out at State Minister Sa Ra Mahesh at a press conference in Kodagu.

Letting his disappointment be known, Parameshwara tweeted that Sitharaman’s actions were “disappointing” and that she should not have “lash (ed) out at my colleague.”

District in-charge Minister Mahesh faced the wrath of Sitharaman on Friday when he asked her to wrap up the press conference quickly, citing lack of time.

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“Our ministers have stayed back in Kodagu for weeks to oversee relief operations along with the district administration. You should extend to them the same respect that they extend for the help from your end,” tweeted the deputy CM of the state.

Madam @nsitharaman, our ministers have stayed back in Kodagu for weeks to oversee relief operations along with district administration. You should extend to them the same respect that they extend for the help from your end. It was disappointing to see you lash out at my colleague

— Dr. G Parameshwara (@DrParameshwara) August 25, 2018

The defence minister, Sitharaman had blasted Mr. Mahesh on being interrupted during her conversation with an ex-serviceman. “I am following a minute-to-minute programme, minister. If officials are important, my parivaar (family) is also important…. Central minister follows the minister in-charge here. Unbelievable,’ she had said.

And when informed that her words were being recorded on camera, the Union Defence Minister retaliated saying, “Let it get recorded.”

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But Dr. Parameshwara completely dismissed her comments that directed to the idea that central Ministers were superior to their state counterparts and said, “State governments derive their powers from our Constitution, not from the centre… We are not inferior to the centre. We are partners.”

State Governments derive their powers from our Constitution not from the Centre. The Constitution has distributed powers among the Centre and States to ensure an equitable partnership between both. We are not inferior to the Centre. We are partners @nsitharaman

— Dr. G Parameshwara (@DrParameshwara) August 25, 2018

Meanwhile, according to a report in NDTV, the Karnataka Government on Saturday released a statement which sought to clarify the miscommunication between Sitharaman and Mahesh.

“The Defence Minister was interacting with ex-servicemen who had been adversely affected by the floods when the District in-charge minister objected and insisted that meeting with the officials be conducted first. The Defence Minister clarified that welfare of ex-servicemen was an essential part of the Ministry of Defence and the same was scheduled in the program. However, the district minister insisted that the central minister immediately stop the interaction and proceed to the meeting with the officials,” the government said in the statement.

Ms. Sitharaman had earlier donated Rs.1 crore as a part of the relief fund for Kodagu.