Karnataka Food min Umesh Katti tells a farmer to 'go die'; Congress asks 'Have no shame?'

In a shockingly careless manner, Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister Umesh Katti on Wednesday, allegedly told a farmer to 'go die', when he questioned the govt on the Public Distribution System (PDS). The farmer had allegedly asked Katti why the government had reduced the quantity of rice under PDS. He asked, "Is this quantity enough to sustain a family?".

Umesh Katti tells farmer to 'go die'

In reply, Katti said that the govt had substituted it with Ragi for South Karnataka and Jowar for North Karnataka. When the farmer asked 'Should people die', Katti retaliated, "Go die, stop calling me", according to a now-viral audio clip. Later, Katti defended his statement to reporters, "When he says that he wanted to die, what should I reply to him?".

Slamming Katti's insensitive remark, Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar said, "This is BJP culture. I demand national leadership should react to this asking a common man who asks for rice to live on the earth to die! Does this government have any shame? Congress is going to write to CM to provide 10kg rice for all." Meanwhile, an embarrassed CM - BS Yeddiyurappa has expressed regret saying, "It is not right for a minister to make such a statement".

Similarly, JDS leader & ex-CM HD Kumaraswamy demanded Katti's removal from the cabinet. He tweeted, "The Minister of Food, who is supposed to come to the aid of the hungry people during corona, has given a mental answer. It is inhumane for the minister to say such a thing. I urge the chief minister to throw him out of the cabinet".

As per reports, the state govt has started providing ragi to poor families under the PDS, after cutting the quantum of rice.  Now, the 13 districts of Old Mysore region are getting 3 kg of ragi and 2 kg of rice instead of the 5 kg of rice given per unit earlier, state reports. The department has procured around five lakh tonnes of ragi, but has been able to buy only around 50,000 tonnes of jowar - leading to a delay in its distribution. This has to led to the ire of the state's citizens. Currently, Centre has announced that it will 5 kg free food grains to be provided to around 80 crore beneficiaries for the next two months. Under the PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PM-GKAY), the Centre will spend more than Rs 26,000 crore on this initiative in May & June.