Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Feb 12: Amidst controversy over chief minister Siddaramaiah's expensive watch, which he had claimed to be a 'gift', senior Congress leader Janardhan Poojary has advised the CM to auction the watch and donate the money to the families of three Kannadiga soldiers who lost their lives in an avanlanche at Siachen.

Addressing a press meet at the district Congress office here, Poojary said, "Chief minister Siddaramaiah should should the watch that he received as a gift and give the money to the families of three soldiers who died in the Siachen avalanche. The CM has done good work in the last two days by granting four acres of land, Rs 25 lac and employment assurance to the family of Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad and also announced compensation to other two soldiers Subedar T T Nagesh and C Mahesh. This shows his large-heartedness. His work will be appreciated by the people of Karnataka."

Asserting that the CM need not have accepted the watch even as a gift, he said,"The CM has stated that he got the watch as a gift. Did you (Siddaramaiah) want this watch? Being a CM, why did you accept it? You should be a role model to the state. There is no doubt that you have always been prompt and sincere, but you should not have taken the watch. Does the watch not haunt you? Don't you think it is a matter of shame to the party?"

Taking his own example, he said, "Of the Rs 50,000 that I receive as monthly pension, I give Rs 25,000 to the ashram, and per year it comes up to nearly Rs 3 lac. I have been doing this for 20 years. We are in this position because of people, so responding to people's problems is our dharma.

"It is common to make mistakes, but correcting them is our duty. When you correct your mistake, people forgive you," he added, advising the CM to 'correct' his 'mistake' and auction the watch.

"The chief minister should respond to what I have said immediately. He will get blessings. If Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi ask him about the issue, what will he say? Let him give a statement and see the consequences," he said.

"Money and power are not permanent but people's love is. This watch will tarnish your image. Why do you want a watch at the expense of your image and health?" Poojary said, addressing himself to the CM.

Mahabala Maarla, T K Sudheer and others were present.