Haveri, Sep 9 (IANS): Controversial remarks made by K.B. Koliwad, former Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly, in connection with a farmer committing suicide has gone viral, causing widespread outrage.

Koliwad, a five-term Congress MLA, made the remarks while speaking to a party worker on the phone who had asked him to visit the victim's residence Ranibennur and put a garland on the body.

Ranibennur used to be Koliwad's former constituency.

"What can we do if he (farmer) hangs himself? He has committed suicide and is dead. Why do you bring up such cases? Why should I garland him? Once I garland him, then people will say neta had gone without giving any money, you have made it a habit," says the former Speaker.

He further asks the worker whether he had asked the farmer to commit suicide.

"You workers should not bring up such cases. He hanged himself and ended his life. The matter ends there. Have I asked him to do so? Why does he (dead farmer) need a garland? This is not done," he added.

After ending the call with the party worker, Koliwad continued his bitter attack, saying: "I don't know when will people learn? He says the farmer is dead and I have to visit his place and garland him. I don't know why he had hung himself and what injustice he had done."

The audio and video footage of the incident have gone viral on social media causing severe embarrassment to the Congress party in Karnataka which had launched an all-out attack on the ruling BJP over the collapse of infrastructure in Bengaluru due to the rain.

It is yet to be ascertained when the incident had taken place.

The audio and video clips came to public domain on Friday.