Hassan: Minister U T Khadar arrives three hours late; MLAs fume

Hassan, Oct 23 (DHNS): Health Minister U T Khadar’s delay of more than three hours to attend a review meeting, left the MLAs fuming in Hassan, on Tuesday.

They also boycotted the programme and walked out of the meeting as soon as the Minister arrived at 1.30 pm, for a meeting that was scheduled to begin at 10 am.

Minister Khadar had to attend a progress review meeting of various departments at ZP auditorium at 10 am on Tuesday. The programme was fixed a week ago and according to the itinerary, Khadar was to arrive at Hassan by Monday night.

But, the Minister left Bangalore only on Tuesday morning and had gone on a surprise visit to a government hospital in Channarayapatna enroute and held a meeting with the doctors. Later, he also visited a health camp organised by a private organisation and spent more than 45 minutes there.

As the meeting was scheduled to be held in the morning, health officers from various taluks, doctors and other officials had assembled at the ZP office by 9 am.

Apart from them, MLAs H K Kumaraswamy, A Manju, Y N Rudregowda and MLC Patel Shivaram, had also arrived on the spot to meet the Minister prior to the meeting. Media persons too were waiting from morning at the travellers bungalow for the minister.

The Minister who arrived a good three hours late, instead of attending a review meeting at ZP office, went directly to the party office and held a meeting with the party workers. From there, he went to attend an anniversary programme held at a private hotel.

Irked by the delay, MLA H K Kumaraswamy and Patel Shivaram flayed Khadar for insulting them by attending the private programme and neglecting the official meeting. “We are boycotting the meeting, condemning his attitude,” they said.

But by the time the duo came down from the third floor, where the meeting was organised, the Minister made his entry.

When media persons stopped him at the entrance and questioned him about his delay, the Minister assured that such instances would not recur.

Kumaraswamy and Patel Shivaram who followed him inside, condemned the Minister’s attitude, handed over the memorandum and left. Congress MLA Y N Rudreshgowda and A Manju were present.