Daijiworld Media Netwrok - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 18: BJP, which objected to gifting of costly iPhones to MPs from Karnataka by the state government, severely criticized it for splurging taxpayers' money. But chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, denied having given iPhones as gifts to MPs, adding that he had no information about it. Thereafter, state water resources minister, D K Shivakumar, clarified that these phones were provided by him out of his money in his individual capacity.

A meeting had been held at New Delhi on July 17 to discuss Cauvery dispute. It was presided by Kumaraswamy. At the meeting, the members of parliament from the state who participated in the meeting were given an iPhone each by way of gift. BJP jumped to its feet to question the government move in spending so much money on cell phones. A few also are leant to have returned the iPhones given to them.

D K Shivakumar

Several BJP leaders pointed out that the state government leaders have been harping about funds crunch relating to waiver of farmers loans. They said that the government does not have funds to pay salary to civic workers. They wondered about how the government managed money to gift iPhones costing over a lac rupees each to the parliamentarians from the state. BJP leaders including Rajeev Chandrasekhar questioned this move.

Chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, who is at New Delhi, clarified that he never knew about the gifting of iPhones and that this matter had not been discussed in any of the meetings. He further said that his office had not issued instructions go gift these phones to anyone.

In the meanwhile, the water resources minister, D K Shivakumar, said that he has provided these phones out of his personal funds, adding that last year too, he had gifted similar phones. He added that he gave these phones for easy access of information from members of parliament. "For people suffering from jaundice, everything appears yellow," he commented, referring to a popular Kannada adage. Giving his reaction immediately after the issue began to snowball into a controversy, Shivakumar said he had provided this phone to get information faster and there was nothing wrong in it.

"These iPhones cost about Rs 50,000 each. I gave these phones because of my generous heart for getting information faster. When handing over bags containing information about Cauvery dispute, I had given iPhones too. Several BJP MPs called me to express thankfulness. But MP, Rajiv Chandrashekhar, is rich. Therefore he has returned the phone," he clarified.