K'taka Minister expresses regret on comments against Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, Feb 16 (IANS) Karnataka Minister for Higher Education, IT, BT, Science and Technology Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan on Thursday sought to end the controversy surrounding his "finish him off" statement directed towards Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, by expressing regret.

Speaking to reporters, Narayan said that the statement was purely circumstantial. "Calling PM Modi a butcher. Addressing Karnataka CM in singulars is part of the culture of Siddaramaiah. I have uttered those words with the intention of giving a call to people to defeat the Congress party in elections. If I have caused pain to him, I regret it," he said.

Further, the Minister stated that his statement was made in the view of elections. The leaders of Congress party are glorifying Tipu Sultan. "The fight is ideological and political against the Congress. I am very much aware that we are not in the times of war," he said.

He further said, "Equating elections to a war.. it is said that we should win. I don't have personal enmity against Siddaramaiah. If he is pained by this, I regret it. One should note that my statement is twisted. I have not done anything to break society on the line of religion," he said.

The circumstantial statement in local dialect has been twisted by Siddaramaiah and used according to his convenience, he said.

Minister Ashwath Narayan had issued the controversial statement during a public programme in Satanur of Mandya district. "Siddaramaiah will come to the place of Tipu Sultan (erstwhile ruler of Mysuru). Do you want Veer Savarkar or Tipu Sultan? You have to decide.

"You know what Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda (soldiers who fought Tipu Sultan) did to Tipu Sultan. Likewise he (Siddaramaiah) should be finished off." The statement had stirred a controversy in the state.

Siddaramaiah had demanded that Minister Ashwath Narayan should immediately be dropped from the cabinet. "He had given a statement like a mentally-retarded person. If he is not sacked and arrested, it is as good as the BJP party agreeing that Minister Ashwath Narayan is indeed a mentally-retarded person," he attacked.

Former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy also slammed the BJP. "The finish him off statement shows the culture of Minister Ashwath Narayan. BJP's ideology is different and thoughts are different," he said.