As flag of revolt flies high, it's H D Kumaraswamy's turn to trump' the media

Bengaluru: The media has undoubtedly turned into Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s favourite punching bag with the leader landing a left hook again on correspondents on Monday, this time, on the issue of separate statehood for North Karnataka.

The Chief Minister, has been hostile towards journalists as his maiden budget was criticized for various inconsistencies, did not stop at media bashing for the row triggered by his controversial state on north Karnataka but even went so far as to say that the fourth estate would he held responsible if the situation spiraled out of control on this issue. Monday’s outburst came less than a week after a controversial decision to club genuine journalists with touts and to restrict their movement in Vidhana Soudha and Vikas Soudha.

Mr Kumaraswamy, who had taken potshots at people of north Karnataka during a rally in Channapatna while referring to an agitation by farmers at Koppal for a complete waiver of farm loans, lambasted the media, without any provocation: “You (media) are responsible for the flaring up of the separate north Karnataka state issue. I would like to tell my media friends that by raking up the issue every day, you are ruining the state. Don't mistake me," adding that if anything went wrong in future, the media would be held responsible for the breakdown of peace and order.

"It is a media creation. Actually there is nothing of that sort happening. People there are not making any such demand (about separate statehood). They are with the government," he stressed. In defence of his statement in Channapatna which may have set off the controversy, he remarked that he was merely responding to a statement by BJP leader B Sriramulu in the Legislative Assembly and charged the media with misquoting him.

"I was responding to Sriramulu’s statement during the budget session. I had asked him, from where will he get grants after carving out separate state of North Karnataka? Is it a big issue? Is it a big crime?" he queried. His statement in Channapatna prompted a bandh call in support of the demand for separate statehood for north Karnataka by Uttara Karnataka Pratyeka Rajya Horata Samiti, on August 2. The leaders of this outfit have cried foul about the less than generous budgetary allocation and inadequate representation to the region in the cabinet.

B01