BENGALURU: Allegations and counter-allegations flew thick and fast between members of treasury and Opposition benches on Hublot luxe wrist watch of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, prompting presiding officers of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council to adjourn the Houses to Tuesday.
In the Assembly, BJP legislators staged a dharna in the well of the House when Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa declined to allow an adjournment motion sought to be moved by them on the expensive watch gifted to Mr Siddaramaiah by a Dubai-based surgeon.
In the upper House, a war of words was followed by Congress legislators waving photographs of senior BJP leaders B.S. Yeddyurappa, D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar along with those of JD (S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy in an upscale mall along with actress Radhika, forcing Chairman D.H. Shankara Murthy to adjourn the House.
Was Hublot gifted to a minister first?
Just how did an expensive Hublot wrist watch land in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s hands and spell trouble for the leader?
There’s more to it than an explanation offered by Mr Siddaramaiah according to sources in his camp. In fact the Dubai-based cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr Girish Chandra Varma, was a buddy of a cabinet minister and trusted lieutenant of the Chief Minister and not an old friend as claimed by Mr Siddaramaiah.
Second, the surgeon presented a gift to the minister in question first in the presence of Mr Siddaramaiah.
The minister, however, said he would not accept a gift in Mr Siddaramaiah’s presence and reportedly advised Dr Varma to hand over the gift to Mr Siddaramaiah.
Dr Varma immediately removed the watch he was wearing and gifted it Mr Siddaramaiah.
When asked whether any person would present a second-hand watch to the Chief Minister, the sources maintained that they described the episode exactly as unfolded in the presence of the cabinet minister, Mr Siddaramaiah and the surgeon.
Sources said the media, quoting Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, was publishing misleading reports on the wrist watch controversy.
