GADAG: Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment A Narayanaswamy faced embarrassing moments when he visited a living soldier’s house instead of a martyred soldier’s home as part of BJP’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra on Thursday.
Before realizing the costly gaffe, the minister announced a government job and land even as the kin of the serving soldier — whose house he visited — stood in shock and broke down fearing an untoward incident.
As per the itinerary, the minister was to visit the residence of a martyred soldier at Mulgund in Gadag district. Instead, Narayanaswamy visited the house of serving soldier Ravikumar Kattimani. The minister, who was behind schedule, was in a hurry when he reached Mulgund along with Haveri BJP MP Shivakumar Udasi. He went to the house of Kattimani, currently posted in Jammu and Kashmir, and enquired about the health and condition of the family members.
Later, he announced that a government job would be provided to one member and land for the family, which left the entire family in a state of shock and confusion.
Local BJP men blamed for error
The soldier’s parents started sobbing uncontrollably as they presumed that he had been martyred. A local BJP worker, who knew the family, immediately made a video call to the soldier. On connecting with Ravikumar, he requested the minister to speak to the soldier. Realising the faux pas, the minister tried to control the damage by praising their son. He also felicitated the family members before leaving their home.
After leaving the soldier’s residence, he reportedly took local BJP leaders to task. Sources said local BJP leaders provided wrong information to the minister.
According to the tour programme, the minister was scheduled to offer condolences to the family of Basavaraj Hiremath, who died in the line of duty in Pune, Maharashtra, more than one and a half years ago.
The BJP’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra in Karnataka to welcome new Union ministers from the state has been in the news for wrong reasons. They faced flak for not ensuring Covid protocol. Recently, four people were arrested over celebratory firing during Bhagawanth Khuba’s first visit to Yadgir town after becoming the Union minister.
