In a faux pas, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment A. Narayanaswamy promised a government job and land to the family of a soldier in Gadag district, under the impression that he had been martyred. The soldier, Ravikumar Kattimani, is alive.
The Minister was to visit the residence of a soldier at Mulagund in Gadag district as part of the BJP’s Jan Ashirvad Yatre on August 19.
The Union Minister, who was behind schedule, was in a hurry when he reached Mulagund along with local Member of Parliament Shivakumar Udasi.
He went to the house of Ravikumar Kattimani, who is 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 of the family and also land, which left the family in a state of shock and confusion.
A local BJP worker, who was familiar with the family, immediately made a video call to the solider. On connecting with Ravikumar, he requested the Union Minister to speak to the soldier. Realising the faux pas, the Union Minister felicitated the family members and left their home.
After leaving the soldier’s residence, he reportedly took local BJP leaders to task. Sources said that local BJP leaders provided wrong information to the Union Minister.
