From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Oct 18: After his bitter experience of receiving a diamond-studded expensive Hublot watch allegedly from a friend in the oil-rich Gulf country, Karnataka chief minister (CM) Siddaramaiah seems to be wary of receiving any gifts from anybody, including those from his own Cabinet colleagues!

On Tuesday, Siddaramaiah refused to take a silk kurta as gift from sericulture and animal husbandry minister A Manju in Vidhana Soudha.

As soon as the review meeting of the sericulture and animal husbandry departments commenced, the minister offered a nicely gifted pack to the CM, in the presence of  department officials and the media.

Visibly taken aback by the gesture in the presence of officials and media, the CM quickly gathered his wits and asked the minister enquired about the gift pack.

When Manju politely informed the CM that it was silk kurta from his own Department, Siddaramaiah politely and resolutely rejected it.

Manju murmured in the ears of Chief Minister and said “Sir, it’s a silk kurta.”

Immediately, the CM retorted saying he was not wearing silk kurta and declined to accept the gift.

Earlier, the CM was embroiled in the writ watch controversy. The watch was gifted by his close doctor friend Girish Chandra Varma, Dubai-based doctor.

The Hublot watch had to be finally deposited with the then Karnataka Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa to be kept as a State Gift in the Cabinet hall in Vidhana Soudha.